


Lucida

by markwatnae (bertie)



Series: Lucida [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Obi-Wan Chooses Another Padawan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 19:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9338831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bertie/pseuds/markwatnae
Summary: After the start of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi chooses his second padawan. He meets her by chance, but the Force insists that he take her as his student. This decision turns out to be one that will change the course of the Order's future.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> lucida  
> noun [loo-si-duh]  
> the brightest star in a constellation
> 
> \----------------
> 
> I had this idea back in October and I started writing bits and pieces of it but never posted anything until late November because I was unsure if people would take kindly to an original character as Obi-Wan's padawan. But all the reactions were positive so I've been writing like crazy and I'm thrilled to post the first part.

Obi-Wan Kenobi does not have an incredible sense of the Living Force, but he can feel the changes in the emotions of a room. Even the tiniest ripples are like earthquakes. He can feel the excitement and awe and giddiness coursing through the senior initiates. But it is tempered slightly by an overwhelming sense of anxiety coming from one individual.

He cannot pinpoint exactly who it is so he ignores it for the moment.

He comes to the crèche and the initiates wing a few times a month to see the younglings and spend time with them. The war has made everyone stressed and afraid so he likes to distract the little ones with fun stories and help them along with their studies or techniques.

Obi-Wan is in the rooms of Bergruutfa Clan to visit with the initiates soon coming of padawan age. He remembers exactly what it felt like to be this age, eager to be chosen but frightened of the possibility of failure. He gives these children extra love and attention because he knows how much it would have helped him at the time.

He can feel someone's attention flickering between him and another object like they are hyper aware of his presence but attempting to focus elsewhere.

That signature finally shivers through the Force and retreats from the room. He looks over to see a girl disappearing into the dormitories almost frantically.

Obi-Wan excuses himself from the group of initiates he was speaking with and approaches the Clan's crèchemaster.

"Is something wrong?"

He looks at the door and back at Obi-Wan. "She gets upset sometimes. Anxious. We try to help her release it but often it is too much for her to handle. She goes out to calm down."

He cannot explain the reason he goes through that door. His master would say it was the will of the Force. Obi-Wan is inclined to agree with him.

He follows that tumultuous signature to a little room he remembers from his own Initiate days. A "time out" room of sorts. A place for anyone to go if they needed a moment to decompress or find their center.

She is sitting on a cushion, clutching a pillow to her chest and rocking slightly. Obi-Wan's chest squeezes painfully tight.

“May I come in and sit with you?” He asks softly, hating how she startles at the sound of his voice.

“Sure,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

She does not meet his eyes before turning back and pressing her mouth to the pillow. Obi-Wan walks into the little room and settles onto a meditation cushion near her. He releases a deep breath and closes his eyes, slipping into a light meditation.

He opens one eye when he feels something tremble in the Force. She is crying now, shoulders shaking as she muffles her sobs in the pillow. Obi-Wan feels his heart break when he sees how she curls in on herself.

“Oh, my little one. What has you hurting so badly?” He asks gently.

He does not touch her. One thing the Jedi were staunch on was bodily autonomy and consent. He would not force affection on a child who did not seek it out.

“I’m not going to be a padawan,” she gasps between sobs.

Obi-Wan feels as if he were slapped with the amount of grief pouring out of this child.

“Why do you think that?”

“Everyone says so. I’m not good enough.” Her voice cracks from the tears in her throat.

“Master Quarmall has said this to you?”

She shakes her head. “Not in so many words. He tries to make me feel better, but I’ve stopped believing him.”

“What do these people say about you, little one?”

She sniffles, but fresh tears come. “I’m too emotional. I’m not strong enough. I’m not fast enough. I’m not cut out for this lifestyle. I won’t survive on the battlefield. Masters are only looking for the best and the brightest now that the war is going on. No master would want to look after me because they have better things to worry about.”

Obi-Wan can barely swallow down the growing sense of horror that comes as she speaks. The Jedi failed this child and allowed her to think so little of herself. She deserves more than to feel like a burden.

“No one should have ever said those things to you.”

“They’re all true.” Her voice breaks again.

“They are not true.” He draws in a deep breath. “I’m so sorry they’ve hurt you so badly.”

She wipes her eyes and sniffles. “I don’t want to get my master killed on the battlefield. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“Jedi masters are masters for a reason. We’re stronger and faster and able to handle a lot more than some people think. A master would be more than capable of keeping you safe and still fighting. I would know, I’ve done it before.”

She tries to smile, but it falls flat.

“Keep faith, dear one,” he says softly.

Obi-Wan retrieves her a glass of water before he leaves. When she looks up at him to take the glass, he finally sees that she has a pair of beautiful brown eyes.

><   ><   ><

“Master Kenobi, you have the floor.”

Obi-Wan stands and moves to the center of the Council room. He bows to the Council before letting out a breath to calm himself.

“What do you wish to discuss?” Mace asks him.

“I wish to discuss how we are treating our initiates.”

Several Council members look affronted or confused. Plo Koon leans forward—Obi-Wan knew he would be easy to sway. Plo has a soft spot for children six parsecs wide.

“What has made you bring this topic to the Council’s attention?” Plo asks.

Obi-Wan settles his shoulders back as he prepares to speak and releases a breath.

“I recently spoke to a young girl in Bergruutfa Clan. She was in tears because she was certain no master would choose her as a padawan.”

“Not all padawans can be chosen, Master Kenobi.”

He clenches his teeth and glances over his shoulder at the master that spoke. “Yes, I’m aware, Master. But no initiate is ever told outright they will not be chosen until they are being sent to the Corps. This girl is barely eleven years old.”

He knows he has more of the councilors attention now. They mutter quietly amongst themselves before he continues.

“She told me that masters and other initiates told her she was not fast or strong enough to be a padawan. That no master would want the burden of looking after her if she could not handle herself on a battlefield. They told her she would never be chosen because she is too emotional.”

“Is she?”

Obi-Wan whirls on the same master that spoke before. “It shouldn’t matter! She should not feel like a stranger in her own home, and we as an Order should support her no matter what until she is old enough to be chosen or sent away.”

He turns back to the others. “I don’t recall a petition being sent through this Council for the age limit for padawans to be lowered to eleven unless I was absent for that vote?”

Several of them shake their heads.

“My point exactly. Her future is not decided. Why are we allowing adults to destroy the spirit of our children before they are even of age to be chosen? If our younglings do not have faith and confidence in themselves, then how are they supposed to compete for our attention? I thought we were better than this.

“I nearly aged out of the crèche and was made to feel as if I was not worthy of a master, but my future changed in one moment in a mine on Bandomeer. When I became a Councilmember, I made sure to implement some safeguards for our children so none of them would suffer like I did. I oversaw anti-bullying statutes that would make the competition less fierce and cutthroat so it was not so difficult to accept when you were not chosen.

“How could we have allowed a war to hurt our children, the future of this Order? They are the ones that are bearing the strain. We lose more masters every day and fewer children are brought to the Temple every year. Our numbers are dwindling but we should not allow the Jedi we do have in the Temple to suffer.”

“What do you propose we do?” Plo asks.

Obi-Wan sighs heavily. “I propose we retrain our crèchemasters to treat the senior initiates with more care and kindness. More of them are being sent away to the Corps and that is not usually part of their plans for their future. We need to acclimate them to this idea earlier so they do not feel abandoned or hurt if they are not chosen.

“I also propose we gather the knights of rank and skill to take padawans and speak to them. I want to tell them that the war has changed things but we must not allow our children to bear the brunt of it. They should be briefed on the new ways we wish to handle senior initiates. And they should be encouraged to take padawans as soon as possible. We cannot allow all of our knights and masters to die off and leave our children with no one to train them.

“I also believe that the Council should be required to spend time in the crèche with the initiates. I think we have become cut off from the youngest and most important Jedi in the Order and we simply make decisions blind while sitting in our tower. We could use the time away from the war and all the death it brings.”

He bows shortly. “Thank you for listening to my proposal.”

Obi-Wan takes his seat. He pointedly avoids the gazes of the agitated members of the Council. Master Yoda hums and taps his gimer stick on the ground.

“Correct Master Kenobi is. Blind we have become to our childrens’ suffering. Unwanted no child should feel, even if sent to the Corps they are.”

Obi-Wan lets out the breath he had been holding and allows himself to relax minutely.

Plo nods. “I agree. We need to ensure that our initiates are comfortable and happy while they are still in our care here in the Temple. No child should feel as if they are unwanted. When we take them, we promise their parents that they will be cared for and become successful knights, but that has been becoming less true as more years pass.”

More councilors begin to nod and voice their agreement.

Depa Billaba adds her voice. “I’ve also heard similar accounts from our children. Our crèchemasters have had their attentions divided between too many distractions. There aren’t enough of them to care for the number of children we have and their other duties have become too demanding.”

“We will begin to construct some instructions for our crèchemasters and decide how to speak to our knights. I agree that we must change some things if we wish to keep our Order functional and strong,” Mace says.

They take a vote and come up with a majority of positive votes. Obi-Wan managed to sway most of the Council with his argument. He may have actually changed something in the Order for good instead of for the betterment of the Senate. He hopes that it will make a difference.

><   ><   ><

There is a little less anxiety in the Bergruutfa Clan rooms when Obi-Wan visits again. He makes his way slowly through the room, sitting with the initiates and speaking with them and helping them with their coursework. He dislikes how they idolize and deify him, but he knows he did the same to his favorite masters as a child. It is the natural way of things. He comes here to spend time with them to bring himself down off the pedestal a bit and help them realize he is just a normal man. The fact that he is a High General and Sith killer does nothing to help his attempts at normalizing himself.

When he sees the girl again, sitting on the edge of the room and watching him nervously, something in the Force chimes. Her brown eyes flit around, refusing to linger on him for more than a second, but her attention is solely on him.

Obi-Wan feels breathless when he realizes what the Force is trying to tell him.

He accepts the Force’s prodding and makes his way over to the girl.

“Hello, again,” he says with a smile.

She gives him a timid smile in return. “Hello.”

“May I sit with you?”

She nods. “Yes.”

Obi-Wan takes a seat across from her at the small table. “I never asked you your name last time we met.”

“Oh,” she says. “Um, my name is Elora, but I go by Edie.”

The Force practically shouts in his face, but he will not choose her today.

“That’s a beautiful name. Why do you go by Edie?”

She looks away, pulls her hands into her lap to pick at her nails. “Edie is my middle name. I didn’t feel like Elora fit me very well. It felt too fancy.”

He grins. “That’s a fine reason. I think Edie fits you nicely.”

Edie smiles at him, slightly bigger than the last time.

“How are you doing in your classes?” He asks.

“I’m doing well,” she replies softly. “Especially the history classes. They’re my favorite.”

“I enjoyed those too when I took them. I was always very good at piloting also, but I still don’t like flying,” he offers.

Her eyes cast down to her lap. “I’m not very good at piloting or mathematics.”

He leans forward on his forearms. “That’s alright. Everyone has their own unique set of skills, and if we had a bunch of pilots, then no one would be able to settle diplomatic disputes.”

She smiles then.

“Do you like politics?” He asks.

She nods.

He grins and leans back. “We seem to have a politician on our hands.”

“Not a politician,” she says. “But I do want to go on diplomatic missions. I’m not very good at debating yet, but I’m great at gathering information and sources.”

Obi-Wan is continually charmed by this girl. “You’d make a great diplomat.”

He sees how her cheeks turn pink at his compliment and feels his chest fill with warmth at the sight. He sits with her a while longer, enjoying her witty remarks as she relaxes and does not hold herself so tightly. But all too soon his commlink is beeping and calling him away to other duties.

Before he leaves, he crouches down beside Edie. “I'll try to come back and see you soon. Maybe we can have a meal together.”

The joy in her eyes at his statement is enough to get him through the Council meeting that lasts into the night.

><   ><   ><

Obi-Wan hears the whispers and sees the furtive glances when he takes Edie from her Clan’s rooms. He hopes they will not make Edie’s final days in the Clan miserable for her after he brings her back. He knows he is waiting a while before choosing her but he has a plan. He knows what he is doing, but he hopes Edie will not suffer for it.

The dining hall is relatively busy, but several people look their way as they walk through the seating area to the food line. Obi-Wan puts his hand on Edie’s shoulder and guides her along with him.

“Don't pay them any mind. They're more interested in me than you, but I've learned to ignore them,” he says softly.

“Why do they stare at you?” Edie asks.

Obi-Wan shrugs. “I'm not sure. Likely because I'm a Council member and one of the faces of the war. I wish it wasn't this way.”

“I'm sorry,” she says quietly.

“Thank you, little one. But they don't bother me anymore. Besides, I have you to keep me company now.”

She smiles and he gives her an answering one, squeezing her shoulder lightly. She does not shy away from his touch like he has seen her do with other masters and initiates. Obi-Wan hands her a tray from the stack and follows her as she picks her food. Her tastes are simple and few, not at all like Anakin's love for nearly every food available. She hesitates at the selection of desserts until Obi-Wan chooses one of his own. He files that away for further thought at another time.

He selects a table off to the side and sets his tray down. Edie follows his lead and sits down a second after he does. Obi-Wan thinks he may break that habit after he takes her. He does not like the unwavering obedience that borders on submission that they are instilling in the initiates now. He would prefer to have a padawan that is loyal to him but confident enough to go against him on occasion.

“What have you been up to these past few days?” He asks.

“I moved up in my ‘saber class, but I’m still behind most of the other initiates,” she says quietly.

“Why is that, do you think?” He asks her gently.

Edie shrugs slightly. “The instructors go too fast, and I can’t keep up. It takes me longer to learn everything.”

“Have you asked them to slow down or re-teach you certain lessons?”

“Yes, but they don’t want to re-teach the same lesson three times.” She sticks a piece of meat into her mouth and chews it slowly.

“Didn’t you have a diplomacy test this week?” Obi-Wan asks, changing the subject to something he knows is lighter.

She nods.

“Did you get your score back?”

She finally smiles. “I got a perfect score.”

Obi-Wan grins. “That’s incredible.”

Her joy warms the Force and he basks in it. He imagines what it will be like to be around her every day, and the thought thrills him. She is a bright spot in the Force, shining and beautiful and enticing. Her light rivals Anakin’s, and while his is strong and intense, hers is gentle and soothing and warm. Obi-Wan is eager to have her in his life and share a bond with her. He is excited to see her grow and succeed and become a knight.

After they finish their meal, Obi-Wan takes her on a walk through the nearby meditation garden and enjoys how she shows him her favorite flowers and plants. She reminds him so much of his master it is slightly unnerving, and then she turns her charming smile on him and he is hooked once again.

Before they arrive back at the Bergruutfa Clan rooms, Obi-Wan takes her aside to sit on a bench in front of a window. She looks up at him with big brown eyes and he all but melts under her gaze.

“I enjoyed our time together.”

She smiles sweetly. “Me too.”

He returns her smile with one of his own. He feels more relaxed and at peace than he has in a decade. She is obviously something very special.

“Are you going to participate in the Initiate Trial coming up?” He asks.

Emotions flash quickly across her face before she answers him with an affirmative, but he catches each of them. Surprise, hope, denial, and then resignation. She thinks it is impossible that Obi-Wan Kenobi, member of the High Council, General in the Grand Army of the Republic, sith-slayer, master of The Chosen One, could ever want to choose her as a padawan. He plans to prove her very wrong.

Master Quarmall smiles down at Edie when he opens the door to the clan rooms for them. She smiles back, and then Master Quarmall gives Obi-Wan a knowing look. He simply returns his gaze and tells Edie goodbye and to sleep well.

His walk back to his quarters is quiet, but full of joy. He feels elated to be giving an initiate a life full of knowledge and experience and love. He knows he will have to change his methods of teaching because Edie is very different from Anakin, but he is open to the idea of change. Even Jedi Masters continue to learn after they are given the title.

><   ><   ><

Obi-Wan greets his fellow knights and masters as he enters the gym that has been transformed for the Initiate Trials.

“Master Kenobi, I didn’t know you were thinking of taking a padawan,” Master Quarmall says knowingly when he comes to stand by him.

“It’s a recent interest,” Obi-Wan replies blandly, looking out over the groups of younglings clustered together before their matches.

“I wish you luck then.”

“Thank you, Master.” He bows to the crèchemaster.

Obi-Wan looks for the one initiate he came to watch, but struggles to find her—until he looks to the outskirts of the groups instead of within them. She is dressed in her ceremonial white initiate fighting uniform and it has nary a frayed stitch or dirty scuff. It is her first Initiate Trial then. Obi-Wan thinks it fitting that he chooses a padawan at her first trial when he was not chosen until after his last. He never wants another child to know that pain.

He can see and feel all the attention his presence is bringing. He hates to get all the younglings’ hopes up, but he wants this choosing to be as public and obvious as possible. Edie never even looks his way, her head nearly always down as if she wants to forget he is there.

When her name is called, Obi-Wan can feel the tension in the gym increase tenfold. He carefully makes his way to the front of the group of masters and knights to have a better view of her fight. He hears her wish her opponent good luck, but they do not reply. They bow to each other and wait for their signal.

Edie is not the best fighter, but she is excellent at defense and evasion. She realized her weaknesses and worked around them. Her dark hair is braided, the tail falling between her shoulder blades, and Obi-Wan is struck at how similar she looks to his master in that moment. Finally, she loses her fight with her opponents training lightsaber centimeters from her throat. They move apart and bow once again. She offers them a breathless congratulations and they respond with a tight smile.

Obi-Wan steps forward before she can disappear back into the groups of initiates. A hush falls over the crowd though everyone continues murmuring quietly to make it seem as if they are not staring and waiting. He smiles at her and holds his hand out. She stares up at him with wide dark eyes and obvious shock, but finally reaches out to rest her hand in his. He curls his fingers around hers and gently pulls her closer.

Obi-Wan Kenobi does what his master never did for him and what he never did for Anakin.

He chooses her.

“Edie, would you do me the honor of becoming my padawan?”

Tears well up in her eyes and her lips tremble as she tries to come up with her answer. After a moment, she catches her breath.

“Yes.”

He sinks to his knee in front of her and wraps her in his arms, feeling her shaking and laughing and sobbing into his shoulder. He feels more content than he has in over a decade, holding his brand new padawan and feeling her joy light up the Force like fireworks.

The entire gym rises into a deafening uproar and Obi-Wan can feel people jostling him, but he ignores them in favor of Edie. He separates from her gently, looking into her flushed, tear-streaked face and smiling. She grins back, laughing and wiping at her eyes. He stands and takes her hand, gently leading her through the crowd to the doors.

When the doors shut behind them, the noise of the crowd is deadened to a murmur and they are alone.

“Thank you,” she says softly, her voice breaking on that simple phrase.

In this moment, Obi-Wan realizes he would give this child anything. He would do anything to keep her safe and ensure she felt loved.

Obi-Wan smiles down at her and cups her face in his hands. “I assure you the pleasure is entirely mine, little one. I'm very eager to begin our new adventure together.”

She smiles at him, cheeks dimpling slightly, and he is smitten.

“Let’s go get your things from your room,” he suggests, and she nods.

As they walk, Obi-Wan reaches down and gently curls his fingers around her hand. Edie gasps softly, but squeezes his hand and does not let go.

“As you are bound to discover, I am not like most other masters. I may be on the Council, but I was trained by an unorthodox Jedi that hardly ever followed the rules. I've found my balance between the two. I act very differently to the Council than I will around you. Now that you are in my care, you have become the most important person in my life. I will always put you first, even if that means I have to answer to the Council. Your safety and happiness are my first priority and I do mean that literally. Some masters feel as if they are doing their padawan a favor by training them, when it is often the opposite. I'm honored to be allowed to teach you, and I will not treat this honor lightly.”

Edie’s signature in the Force feels uneasy, but it also feels warm and comforted. Obi-Wan thinks it is likely that she heard some of the stories of padawans being left behind on battlefields by their masters.

“Our relationship is not anyone else’s business. If any masters try to speak to you about how I am treating you, direct them to me immediately. I do not plan on keeping you at arm’s length like many other masters do with their padawans. I sense that will not be your key to success. I am willing to do whatever necessary to ensure you become a knight because I am positive you will grow into an incredible Jedi.”

He lets out a breath.

“I apologize, little one. I'm rambling, aren't I? It's been so long since I've been nervous I forgot that I sometimes speak whatever I'm thinking,” Obi-Wan says bashfully, rubbing his hand over his beard.

Edie looks up at him worriedly. “It's okay! I'm--I'm glad you told me all that. I was nervous too. I didn't know what to expect from you. Whenever you came to visit me, you acted so differently from what I had heard about you.”

He looks down at Edie and she meets his gaze with a timid smile.

“I'm very excited to watch you grow and continue to learn, and I'm excited to be the one to teach you. I'm also very eager to learn from you as well. A true master and padawan pair learn equally from each other,” Obi-Wan says. “You will likely teach me just as much as I teach you.”

“Really? I don't think I have a lot to teach you,” Edie says quietly.

“Oh, I'm certain you will teach me many invaluable lessons, my dear. We are very much alike, but we also have a lot of differences that will make for learning experiences for us both. I've discovered that the teaching methods I used with Anakin will likely not work with you.”

He squeezes her hand lightly to stop her from interrupting.

“I'm not bothered by this. It was ignorant of me to even think that two padawans would learn in the same way, and this is not a fault of yours. I’m eager to change my ways and learn how to best teach you, and I can't wait to learn alongside you, Edie. I feel we are going to make a very successful team.”

Edie looks up at him and he smiles at her.

“I think so too,” she says.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The logistics of choosing a padawan.

When Obi-Wan took Anakin as his padawan, he gave Anakin the meditation pillow he had used since becoming a padawan and he went on to use his master’s. Instead of getting Edie a brand-new pillow to use, he decides to give her Qui-Gon’s cushion. She is shocked and delighted, but also worried Obi-Wan is giving up something important to him. He assures her that he is glad to give the pillow to her because he knows she will cherish it.

Obi-Wan settles down onto his new meditation pillow and Edie sits on hers directly in front of him, only scant inches between them. Her dark eyes are wide and eager, but nervous. He reaches out and carefully collects a small lock of hair from behind her right ear, pushing the rest of her hair over her shoulder.

Edie smiles anxiously at him and he strokes his fingers through the hair he is holding. He parts it into three sections and begins twisting them together to create her braid.

“The master, the padawan, and the Force; they are three entwined to make one. They are inseparable. I, Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Master of the Jedi Order, take you, Elora Edie, to be my padawan-learner. I pledge to guide you in the Light and to teach you in the ways the Force until the time comes that we stand as equals, knight to knight.”

He secures the end of her braid with a white tie, the color all padawans receive first to signify the beginning of their training. He lets his hands fall down to squeeze hers gently.

“Breaking with the traditional script,” he says softly, “I promise to support you and love you as if you were my child. I believe our partnership was willed by the Force, and I intend to cherish this opportunity to be your teacher.”

Tears well in her eyes, but they do not fall. She blinks them away and smiles at him.

“Thank you,” she says softly.

Obi-Wan reaches out and strokes his fingers down Edie’s braid. “It’s my pleasure, little one. I am very glad to have you as my padawan and I can’t wait to continue getting to know you.”

He shifts to sit with his legs crossed underneath him and takes her hands again. “Speaking of, let’s use this time to get better acquainted with each other.”

She seems to perk up at the idea and nods eagerly. “Okay.”

“I’ll go first,” Obi-Wan says. “Since I was a child, I’ve always been very open to the unifying Force and have experienced visions my entire life. Sometimes they do not affect me, but occasionally they will leave me a little disoriented. If you don’t feel comfortable helping me after a vision, I will not think badly of you. You can comm one of my friends or Anakin and they can come help.”

“What should I do if you have a vision?” She asks.

“Just tell me where I am and who you are and let me reorient myself. I’m not very difficult after a vision, and I don’t have them often.”

She nods. “Okay.”

“Do you know if you have an affinity for the living or unifying Force?” He asks gently.

“I think I’m more in tune with the living Force. I’m always more content in the gardens and I’ve never had a vision before. Some of the initiates in my clan had visions so I kind of know what to expect if you have one,” she explains.

As he listens to her speak, the Force rings with truth and he can almost feel the warm, green energy surrounding her.

“Can I ask a question?” She asks.

“Of course. You can always ask me anything,” Obi-Wan tells her.

Edie brings up one shoulder shyly. “How do you feel about saying I love you?”

He will admit her question catches him off guard, but her hesitancy says everything. The courage it must have taken to ask that question is enough to make him answer truthfully.

“I would be fine with that. I wish I had felt comfortable enough to tell my master that I loved him. I’m very open to saying it with you.”

He feels her Force signature grow warm and content. Her smile is infectious.

“Well, let me ask you a question,” Obi-Wan says. “How do you feel about physical affection?”

Edie thinks, twisting her mouth. “I think I would be open to it. It may take a little while for me to be comfortable around you though.”

“That is perfectly fine,” he says firmly. “I would never ask you to do something you were uncomfortable with. I cherish your trust far too much to push you before you are ready for anything. We can start off slowly and you are always welcome to tell me to stop if you dislike anything.”

He ducks his head slightly to catch her gaze. “I want us to have open communication because that is something I wished I’d had in own apprenticeship and while I was teaching Anakin. Your comfort is paramount and I want you to always feel safe bringing to my attention something you are upset about or dislike. I will never judge you.”

She nods solemnly. “I understand.”

“I also will never come into your room unless you give me express permission. I ask that you extend me the same courtesy, but it is very unlikely I will ever turn you away if you ask to come into my bedroom.”

“Of course.” Edie nods quickly. “I’ll always ask.”

He smiles. “I know you will. I want you to feel at ease and to know that you always have your own space in these quarters that I will not enter without permission.”

She smiles. “Thank you.”

Obi-Wan returns her smile.

“Now,” he says. “Do you know how a bond is created between a master and padawan?”

Edie shakes her head. “No.”

“Often times it will form naturally as we spend more time together. After a few weeks, we will go to the Halls of Healing and a mind healer will be able to tell us if our bond is forming or not. If it is not forming, they will help us create one.”

He leans a little closer. “Can I tell you a secret?”

She nods excitedly. “Yes, master.”

“I think we may already have one.”

Her surprise is evident on her face and Obi-Wan feels his heart constrict with all the love he feels for her in that moment. She is shocked at the idea that they could already share a bond and her innocence is nearly breathtaking.

“It is impossible to force a bond, but I believe we have already formed one. My master and I shared a bond before we even knew each other’s names.”

“Really?” Her eyes are wide.

He nods. “Our partnership was willed by the Force, and I think ours is much the same.”

“What do they feel like?” Edie asks, her awe evident in her voice and face.

Obi-Wan cannot help but smile.

“I think they feel warm and comforting. I always enjoyed being connected to my master, and I felt very similar with Anakin. At first, we won’t be able to do much with it, but over time we will be able to communicate through sensation and thought. Both of us are able to block the bond if necessary and there is always a natural shielding that prevents every single thought from being passed between us.”

He looks at her firmly. “A bond between a master and a padawan is a very sacred and precious thing. We do not treat them lightly, and abusing them is punished severely. This is something very intimate and I would never think to misuse our bond to spy on you or learn something you do not want me to know. That is a violation of your trust.”

Her eyes are wide, but her signature in the Force is comforted. She knows she is safe with him.

“If we truly do have a bond, you’ll likely be able to tell in a few days. It won’t feel like an intrusion, more like something that was supposed to be there, but you never knew it was missing.”

She nods.

“If you have any questions or concerns about this, don’t be afraid to come to me. I know the crechemasters didn’t prepare you very well for becoming a padawan, but I will take over that responsibility now—and gladly,” he says, letting his truth color his words.

Her fingers curl around his own, but he does not drawn attention to it.

“I’m excited to be your padawan,” she says softly, and his chest tightens.

He smiles sweetly at her.

“I’m excited to be your master.”

><   ><   ><

Obi-Wan lets Edie stand close to his side just outside the Council chambers and he can feel her shaking. She has never been in front of the Council before and even this, a happy occasion, worries her. He rests his hand on her back, rubbing lightly to soothe her. She looks up at him and he smiles at her.

“Ready?”

She nods. “Yes, sir.”

He opens the doors in front of them and leads her into the Council chamber. Each of the Councilors is in their seat, whether they are actually in Temple or not, and Obi-Wan can sense Edie’s curiosity as she looks around furtively at them. He stops in the middle of the room and guides her to stand in front of him. He rubs his thumb along her shoulder gently.

“Master Kenobi, you have requested our presence,” Master Windu states.

Obi-Wan smiles.

“Yes, my masters. I have requested your presence so that I can officially choose Elora Edie as my padawan.”

Master Yoda nods thoughtfully. “Want to be Master Kenobi’s padawan, you do, Elora?”

Obi-Wan squeezes her shoulder very gently, encouraging her.

“Yes, Master, more than anything.” Her voice rings through the chamber, trembling slightly.

Mace smiles at them. “We acknowledge and accept your choice and offer our congratulations.”

“We wish you luck in your coming partnership,” Master Plo Koon says, a smile in his voice.

Obi-Wan can feel Edie’s overwhelming joy being released into the Force. He grins back at his fellow councilmembers and feels them celebrate for him.

><   ><   ><

Obi-Wan gently guides Edie to sit on the sofa. She stares up at him in confusion, but does as he asks.

“Close your eyes,” he says.

She does, but her mouth twists into a smile. “Why? What are you doing?”

“It's a secret!” He says. “Keep your eyes closed.”

“Okay,” she says softly, eagerly.

He disappears into his bedroom and gets down the blanket he went out and bought just for her shortly before choosing her. He realized he had missed her eleventh birthday and her twelfth one was not for a while. He thought she deserved something even though he chose her after her birthday.

Obi-Wan peeks out into the common room before he brings the blanket. “Are your eyes still closed?”

He can see her and her eyes are still closed, but he enjoys teasing her.

“Yes,” Edie chirps, her excitement bleeding out into the Force and making it tremble.

He grins and goes to her side, gently laying the blanket in her lap. “Open your eyes.”

Her brown eyes snap open and she stares down at the blanket for a long moment. She touches it carefully and presses her hand into the soft material.

“Do you like it?” He asks softly.

She looks up at him with wide eyes and he sees something vulnerable there. He kneels down beside her.

“What do you think?” He asks her.

She struggles to find her voice for a moment before she replies, “I love it. But why are you giving it to me?”

“I missed your birthday. I didn't want to wait a whole year before giving you a present just because I chose you after your eleventh birthday. It was only two weeks ago. And when I saw this I thought of you. I decided that you needed to have it as a way to welcome you into these quarters and my life.”

“Thank you,” she says softly. “I appreciate it. A lot.”

He smiles. “I know. I’m glad you like it. You can keep it out here or put it on your bed, if you like.”

Obi-Wan stands and walks away from her, feigning interest in the comm unit. He glances over his shoulder and sees Edie hugging the blanket to her chest. He smiles and goes back to checking his messages.

In just the week they've been together, Obi-Wan has learned that crowding Edie means she will feel overwhelmed and likely to panic. She has not told him as much, but her signature in the Force feels tumultuous when she is working through several emotions at once and it usually calms if he moves away and gives her space.

A gentle touch on his arm draws his attention and he looks over to find Edie standing beside him, empty-handed now.

“Thank you for my blanket, master. I'm truly grateful for it and I'll cherish it always,” she says softly, her words ringing genuine and true.

“You're welcome, my dear.”

He smiles at her, and she returns it with one of her own.

“When is your birthday?” She asks.

“My birthday is three months before yours.”

“Good. I have time to find you the perfect gift,” Edie says excitedly.

He laughs. “I can’t wait to find out what it will be.”

Edie grins at him and it elicits the sensation of falling in the pit of his belly. He already loves her.

><   ><   ><

To open up the possibility of relaxed physical affection, Obi-Wan decides to sit on the sofa at any opportunity to allow Edie the option of sitting close to him. As days pass, she moves a little closer to him, but some days she moves further away. Occasionally, she has not sat with him at all. He does not worry because he acted much the same with his master when they were in their quarters. Missions often took the ability to move away from each other because space was limited on transports and sometimes they were living in tents. He knows that she will warm to him eventually, and he will wait no matter how long that takes.

One evening, Edie sits beside him, but not touching him. He looks up from his datapad and meets her expectant gaze. She immediately draws her shoulder up shyly and looks away, but she does not retreat.

“Can I ask you something?” Her voice is quiet.

“Of course. Anything at all,” he says.

She glances up at him but her eyes flicker around the room as she speaks.

“I wanted to know if you would tell me about your master, Master Jinn. I didn’t want to go looking in the Archives first in case there was something you didn’t want me to know, but I would really like to know more about him. We’re not taught very much. He’s only mentioned in passing, but he was your master so he is important to me.”

Obi-Wan does not expect to feel so overwhelmed at this simple request. It has been nearly fifteen years since his master’s death, but hearing his new padawan speak about him so tenderly and reverently takes him by surprise. Most people that speak about Qui-Gon Jinn do so with humor or fond exasperation, but Edie has taken his memory to heart and wants to know everything about him so she might keep that memory alive.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” She starts to draw away, but Obi-Wan reaches out to grasp her hand lightly.

“No, it’s not that.” His voice sounds raw and thick with tears. “I’ve never really had to tell anyone about him before because nearly everyone in the Temple knew him at some point. It didn’t even occur to me that you would want to know about him.”

She does not look at him, but he does not fault her for that.

“I was afraid to ask you because I didn’t know how you felt about him. I assumed he was important to you because he was your master, but I know that isn’t always the case. But you gave me his meditation pillow and I’ve seen his statue in the Archives and I was curious. I didn’t want to ask anyone else because he was your master and I wanted to hear it from you.”

He softens his voice. “Do not ever be afraid to ask me anything. If I am uncomfortable with your question, I will tell you so, but I will do it in a respectful way. You have the right to ask me anything, and I know what it was like to be your age and want knowledge of difficult topics. I will always try my best to give you answers to your questions even if they are not pleasant.”

She nods.

“Come here.” He pats the spot she tried to vacate and she curls up beside him on the couch, tucking her feet underneath herself. “Look at me.”

She does, but he sees how she struggles to raise her eyes to his face. He smiles at her.

“I’m glad you asked me about him. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the opportunity to talk about him, and I think it will help me more to talk about it than to push his memory away. If you have any more questions about him, don’t hesitate to ask me, okay?”

“Okay,” she says.

He smiles again. “Good. Now, I don’t know a lot about his time as a youngling or even when he was a padawan.”

“That’s okay,” she pipes up softly.

“I do know that he was a quite a handful which is not surprising.”

She laughs, and Obi-Wan smiles.

“He met his best friend, Tahl, while trying to scale a cliff without cables after their supervisor told them they wouldn’t be doing it until the next week. She beat him to the top of the cliff and then they had to hide behind a rock from Master Yoda to avoid being caught where they weren't supposed to be. They were friends ever since. When he was ten, he was in an Exhibition Day Tournament where Master Dooku saw him beat all of his opponents, even Tahl. He always said she deserved to win though. Shortly after that, Master Dooku chose him as his padawan.”

Her concern is evident.

“Master Dooku was not always a Sith. He was actually quite kind, but also very stern. I only met him briefly as Master Qui-Gon’s padawan, but he was always relatively friendly.” Obi-Wan clears his throat. “When he captured me on Geonosis, he said that Master Qui-Gon spoke highly of me to him. I never knew that.”

He looks at Edie and finds her watching him intently. She does not shy away from his gaze and he is proud of her.

“Master Qui-Gon didn’t take a padawan right away and took solo missions instead. He didn’t feel ready for an apprentice. But on one of his missions, he found a Force-sensitive boy on Telos IV named Xanatos. He brought him back to the Temple to be trained despite knowing he was over the age at which the Temple usually accepts children. But they took him in and trained him and, in the meantime, Master Qui-Gon finished the training of an apprentice named Feemor who lost his master. After Feemor was knighted, the Council made Qui-Gon a Master. A little while later, Qui-Gon took Xanatos as his padawan.”

Obi-Wan can feel the tension she is holding in her body and in the air around them. She knows enough about Xanatos to know this part of the story does not end happily.

“Master Qui-Gon loved Xanatos like a son. He gave him the benefit of the doubt whenever he was caught in fights. He forgave him of nearly every mistake he made. And Xanatos took that for granted and abused that privilege. Just before Xanatos was to be knighted, the Council sent them on a mission to Telos, his home planet, to help release the planet from his father’s tyrannical reign. When they got there, Xanatos was drawn in by his father’s wealth and power and he eventually joined him to rule the planet instead of finishing his training. Master Qui-Gon was forced to kill Xanatos’s father, and that enraged Xanatos and he turned on Master Qui-Gon and attacked him. He eventually fled the planet.”

Edie had subconsciously shifted closer to Obi-Wan while he spoke, but he does not bring attention to it. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

“Master Qui-Gon blamed himself for Xanatos’s failure—"

“But it wasn’t his fault!”

She claps a hand over her mouth, but Obi-Wan laughs.

“It’s okay. You can interrupt me, I don’t mind,” he says encouragingly.

“It wasn’t his fault Xanatos fell! He gave him everything and he chose corruption and hatred! He betrayed Master Qui-Gon, not the other way around!”

Obi-Wan smiles sadly. “I know, but even the Council blamed him because he taught him differently than most of the other masters taught their students. Master Qui-Gon could very rarely not give his whole self to something, and he loved Xanatos like a son, but Xanatos was blind to that. He was hurt so badly that he swore never to take another padawan for the rest of his life.”

“But he chose you,” Edie says softly.

“Yes, he did eventually choose me, but it took a long time. He didn’t meet me for nearly ten years after Xanatos betrayed him. He took mostly solo missions after that and occasionally took some with Tahl. They even helped a planet hold their first democratic elections. They were very successful partners when they worked together."

Obi-Wan takes a breath and is surprised when it catches as he releases it.

"He was a very sad and broken man when I came into his life. His entire view of life as a Jedi had been shaken by Xanatos's betrayal. After all this time, I understand that he wasn't thriving, but simply surviving."

Edie rests her hand on his leg and his stomach flutters. He looks at her.

"I wish he could be here to meet you. Anakin knew him for a handful of days, but those memories fade the older he gets."

Tears well in Edie's eyes, but she pushes them away before they can fall.

"It's not fair," she says quietly.

"No, it's not," he agrees. "Not a day passes that I don't think of him."

They sit in silence for a moment before Edie speaks.

"I'm glad he chose you even after Xanatos hurt him."

Obi-Wan smiles. "Me too. He taught me everything I needed to know so I could become a knight. I got to teach Anakin and now I have you.”

Her joy overflows and swirls around them in the Force. He basks in it and relishes its warmth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan learns more about Edie

“Master?”

Three weeks have passed since Obi-Wan chose Edie as his padawan, and he can genuinely say that they have been the happiest and most peaceful weeks of his life. She is quiet and sweet, but she keeps hidden a sharp wit and huge vocabulary until he is least expecting it. He has still not gotten used to her voice, soft and lilting and gentle as it reaches out for his attention.

“Yes, padawan?” He turns from where he was pouring tea to see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“I need to tell you something.”

Despite all of his training, Obi-Wan still fears the worst. His stomach sinks, but he shows nothing to her.

Finally, he nods. “Alright.”

She disappears back into the living room and he finishes his task before following her. She is settled on her meditation cushion, looking down at her hands in her lap. Obi-Wan sits across from her, setting his teacup on the floor beside him.

“I know I keep repeating myself, but you can always speak freely with me,” he says.

She nods silently, still looking at her lap. She draws in a shaky breath and he aches to hold her, to reassure her that nothing could push him away.

“You don’t have to look at me,” he whispers.

Edie swallows. “I know you haven’t been to the healers yet to get my files. But I wanted to tell you what you’ll find before you read it.”

The dread in his chest tightens its hold on his lungs and he focuses on breathing steadily as he waits for her to continue.

“The healers just recently told me that I’m genetically predisposed to certain—” She takes a deep breath. “Mental health conditions. I have the markers for generalized anxiety and depressed mood. That means that no matter how long I meditate or how many tranquility exercises I do I may always still be anxious or depressed. I can take medications if it gets to be too much for me to handle, but there is nothing I or they can do. The crèchemasters thought I was just slacking off during meditation practice, but the healers knew something else was wrong. I can’t control it either. Somedays I just wake up and I feel like there’s no reason to even get out of bed. And simple tasks like going to the dining hall make me so anxious I get sick to my stomach. Nothing about being a Jedi will change these things, and I know these were why all my masters thought I wouldn’t be a padawan. They felt that if I couldn’t control my emotions, then there would be no hope for me.”

She still does not look up at him. Obi-Wan is almost glad because he is balking at what she has told him, but she would think he was upset with her.

“I understand if you change your mind about having me as your padawan. I wouldn’t want to deal with me either. I’m not very easy to handle on my bad days.”

Obi-Wan blows out a slow breath. _Before I say anything else, I need to let her know I am_ not _about to replace her as my padawan._

“Listen very closely to me,” he says softly, keeping his voice low and soothing. “Under no circumstances will I ever send you back to the crèche simply because you have a medical condition.”

“But it can’t be cured. I can’t be fixed. I’ll have this my whole life,” she says, her voice breathy and close to tears.

“I don’t care. I don’t want you to be fixed simply because the Jedi want that. I would only want you to seek further treatment if that is what _you_ wanted for yourself.”

He takes a deep breath, calming himself. He will speak with the healers and then the crèchemasters in that order as soon as possible.

“May I hold your hand?” He asks gently, resting his hand on the floor between them.

When she hesitates, he adds, “You can say no.”

Her breath shivers. “Not right now.”

He takes his hand away. “That’s alright. I want you to know that I am ready to support you fully, no matter what may come. I don’t know much about these topics right now, but I am going to speak to the healers and do my own research if necessary. I will not leave you to flounder on your own simply because this is something I have not dealt with before.”

He remembers Tahl.

“Well, that’s a lie.” He rubs his forehead. “When my master’s best friend died, he fell into a depression that I was afraid he would never recover from.” He shakes himself. “But that was slightly different. This is something not caused by an outside source, and this is not something you could help. This was passed to you from your family and you cannot do anything but handle it, and I am fully prepared to help you.”

Obi-Wan’s chest aches when he realizes she is crying. She is bent over her lap with the force of her sobs, and he wants badly to touch her and soothe her, but he forces himself to remain still. She has still not warmed to him completely and he does not want to cross her boundaries.

“I thought you wouldn’t want me anymore,” she gasps between heaving sobs.

“My darling girl,” he murmurs, heartbroken at seeing someone so young deal with something so difficult. “Nothing in this galaxy could make me give you up.”

He sits with her until her sobs have tapered off into hiccups and her cheeks are flushed and wet with tears. He still does not touch her.

“I think you are very brave to come to me and tell me this, and you are incredibly strong to already have to handle this at such a young age.”

“But I-I can’t contro-ol it,” she says, her words choppy as tears threaten in her throat.

“That’s all right. We will learn to deal with it however we see fit. I don’t want you worrying about missions at all right now. You can’t go on them until you’re thirteen anyway and we cannot know how they will play out until then. We need to focus on the here and now, like my master used to always say. I will do everything I can to help you through your bad days, I promise. We will learn and work together on this, okay?”

She nods, wiping her eyes.

“Good. Now, would you like some tea?”

She nods again. He stands quickly and makes his way back to the kitchen. He dumps his now-cold cup of tea and refills it from the kettle. He gets another and fills it for Edie. She is still sitting on her meditation cushion when he returns and she takes her cup gratefully. They sit quietly with each other and drink their tea, and Obi-Wan listens to her sniffle and hiccup as she continues to calm down.

Obi-Wan lets out a breath slowly.

“I want to be sure that I know exactly how you want to handle this situation. Would you mind me asking you some questions once I know more?”

She shakes her head. “No, I don’t mind.”

Silence falls between them and she sips from her tea, still sniffling. Obi-Wan unfolds himself from his cushion and pads to the side table, picking up the box of tissues. He comes back and settles back down, sitting the box in between them. She takes one and wipes her nose.

“Thank you.”

Obi-Wan swallows a sip of tea. “You’re welcome, little one.”

While silence with Anakin was usually unbearable, Obi-Wan finds that silence with Edie is calm and peaceful and soothing. Her signature in the Force pulses contentedly. He thinks she probably enjoys the quiet, prefers it to overwhelming noise. Obi-Wan adds that observation to the growing list of Edie’s unique qualities that interest and captivate him.

A few days later, Obi-Wan makes his visit to the healers to get Edie’s information. He does not expect to be pulled into an office and made to sit down across from the head healer, Vokara Che.

“Do you know anything about your padawan’s medical records?” She asks.

Obi-Wan stares at her in shock for a moment before he snaps to answer her question.

“She told me about her anxiety and depression, but that’s all. Is there something more serious I should know about?” He asks, his own anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach.

Vokara Che does not look up from where she is typing on her comm unit. “She gave me all the permissions when she came for her check up after you chose her.”

She turns the screen to face him. “This is her midichlorian count.”

Obi-Wan’s hand creeps toward his mouth and he strokes his beard to mask the movement. His shock gets the better of him.

“ _Sithspit._ ”

Vokara rolls her eyes. “Yes, but I would have put it a little more eloquently.”

“Eighteen thousand!”

“Stars, Kenobi, I would have thought you would have used a little more tact. This isn’t something I want broadcasted across the Temple,” Vokara hisses.

Obi-Wan stares at the screen. “You’re sure this is hers. This is Edie’s count.”

Vokara nods. “We just checked it again two weeks ago.”

Obi-Wan cannot voice any of the questions hammering for attention in his mind. He swallows dryly.

“I’ll just tell you everything until you pick your jaw up off the floor,” Vokara says, typing again. “This does not affect her negatively. She’s perfectly healthy. Sure, she’s heavier than most girls her age, but I’m not too concerned. That being said, the other padawans her age will likely use her weight as a means to target her and demean her. You need to be ready to intervene if necessary because that could get very ugly very quickly.”

He nods silently.

“I’m writing all this down to send to your comm unit because I know you’ll remember very little of this meeting,” Vokara says, eyeing him around her screen.

“Thank you,” he croaks.

“Mmm. Now, let me explain anxiety and depression to you. They often will manifest together and feed off one another. One escalates the other. It's a cycle that is hard to break. Edie cannot control it so do not even think about telling her to try harder. She sees a mind healer every two weeks, more often if she feels it’s necessary. They help her develop coping skills for when she is in a downswing or even just feeling slightly off kilter. She’s doing very well right now, but if her problems become more severe, then we will probably seek medicinal therapy. Do you have any issue with that?”

Obi-Wan shakes his head. “No. None at all.”

Vokara nods. “Good. She will need your absolute support to continue living with these problems. They will not go away. Her crèchemasters struggled with the idea that they could not simply force her to meditate longer to rid her of her anxiety. Mental illnesses are not logical or simple. She may get upset over taking a test, but have no problem walking onto a battlefield. You will never know what will be her trigger until it comes. You will need to be her biggest advocate because there will be a lot of people that think she is unfit to be a Jedi or even a citizen of the Republic.”

“What?” He barely restrains from shouting the word.

“Sadly, some people believe that anyone suffering from a mental illness or disability should beーisolated. They feel that they are a strain on society and should be put away somewhere until they are gone.”

Obi-Wan feels his heart racing in his throat. He assumed he would have to protect his padawan from Separatists, but not regular citizens that simply think she is undeserving of a life.

“I’m afraid you may go up against some of this line of thought with the Council. Edie will need longer recovery times between missions and some may trigger her depression and cause an even longer downtime. Sending her back out into the field immediately will likely make it worse. The Council will have a hard time not being able to treat her like a normal Jedi. You _need_ to go to bat for her because they will not listen to her. She could tell them she is sick until she is blue in the face and they would still cover their ears. Make them listen.”

Obi-Wan nods. “I will.”

“On occasion, you may be able to help her out of her downswings, but don't count on it always happening. It's not a slight against you. She cannot help it. Her moods will change seemingly randomly, but if you stand beside her and support her, then she will do well.”

“I will do my best.”

“Edie does not know her midichlorian count. No one outside this room knows her count either. Her count was very low when she was first brought to the Temple, but it steadily rose as she grew. When I realized how high it was going, I hid the results and ensured I was the only one to take her counts after that. I did not want her getting treated differently than the other children and I knew nothing good could come of this information. I would advise _not_ telling anyone. If Edie asks, it is up to you whether or not you tell her. I don’t know what I would suggest.”

“I’ll...think of something,” he says. “She hasn’t asked yet.”

Vokara nods. “She likely never will. Every mention to me about it has been insinuating that it’s absurdly low and the root of all her problems as a Jedi.”

Obi-Wan does not doubt that.

“Has she not exhibited stronger use of the Force in training?” He asks.

Vokara shakes her head. “No. She does not seem to hesitate when using the ForceーI had her practice with meーbut I have no doubt that her usage will be very strong with further training and focus.”

He shifts to sit more comfortably in the chair, stroking his beard as he thinks.

“Obi-Wan.”

He looks up, and Vokara’s eyes are soft.

“I’m really glad you chose her. I can’t think of any other Jedi I would want her to be with more than you. I can tell you already love her and I’m glad she has you as her master. She will flourish with your teachings and she will become an incredible knight.”

Obi-Wan feels his cheeks warm under the praise. “She’s already made my life a brighter place. I don’t think I’ve smiled this much in years.”

Vokara grins. “It suits you.”

He returns her smile with one of his own. Hearing another master speak so fondly of his padawan means more to him than if they had complimented him personally. Vokara finishes typing up her message and sends it Obi-Wan’s personal comm unit.

“That’s all I have for you, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to come by and see me. If you want us to tell her about her Midichlorian count together, we can do that. It’s up to you.”

Obi-Wan nods. “I will think on it. Thank you for telling me.”

They both stand.

“Of course,” Vokara says, bowing to him. “May the Force be with you both.”

He returns her bow and smiles. “Thank you.”

Obi-Wan turns over in his mind all the information he has learned as he walks to the dining hall. He stands off to the side by one of the large windows and thinks about the responsibility he has taken on by choosing Edie. None of what he was told is grounds for renouncing her and he is more than capable of handling it all. He worries for herーnot for himself.

While their bond is not yet strong enough, he feels when his padawan’s signature in the Force draws nearer to him. He straightens up and looks out into the growing crowd of Jedi converging for midmeal. Edie is difficult to spot because of her short stature, but after a small cluster of padawans pass by him, he can see her walking in his direction. She is scanning the crowd for him and his chest tightens when she finally spots him. Her joy colors the Force in the hall and she quickens her steps.

Obi-Wan cannot keep from smiling as she gets closer.

“Hello there,” he says sweetly.

He reaches out to smooth her hair when she finally comes to stand in front of him.

“How were your classes?” He asks.

“Good. We’re learning about which planets are ruled by royal families,” she says.

He nods. “I’ve been to several of them. I’ll tell you about those missions sometime soon.”

He is about to suggest they head into the dining hall for midmeal when he hears his name.

“Obi!”

Obi-Wan turns and grins at the sight of his closest friend. Bant drags him into a hug and he returns it with zeal. He had not realized how terribly he had missed her until he laid eyes on her.

“Bant, it's so good to see you again. I want you to meet someone,” he says, pulling away from her.

“Who?”

Obi-Wan sets his hand on Edie’s shoulder lightly. She is always nervous to meet new people, but he gives her his support.

“I'd like for you to meet my new padawan, Edie.”

Bant grins at him before smiling down at Edie.

“It's so great to meet you, Edie.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you too, Master Eerin.” She bows to her politely.

“No, no, no, call me Bant. Or Master Bant if you must. You're like family now,” she says.

Edie smiles widely and her delight warms the Force surrounding them.

“I never imagined you'd choose another padawan,” Bant says to him. “You always seemed so busy.”

Obi-Wan shrugs and smiles down at Edie. “She was special, and I couldn't deny the will of the Force.”

Edie’s signature flares bright in the Force. Her delight is palpable.

Bant smiles. “You’ll have to tell me everything soon. I need to go report to the Council, but hopefully we can share a meal or tea and talk.”

“Of course. You have my comm number, and you can come by our quarters anytime,” Obi-Wan says.

Bant leans in and kisses Obi-Wan on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

She waves to Edie, who returns it eagerly, and turns to make her way to the Council chamber.

Obi-Wan guides Edie on the path to the dining hall. “Bant was my closest friend in the crèche. We’ve been friends for a long time.”

Edie nods and follows along at his side. After they have chosen their food and settled at a table, Obi-Wan tells her about his friendship with Bant.

“I can’t remember when we first became friends. We’ve always just been together. She’s two years younger than me, but that never made any difference. She's always been there for me and I for her."

They tuck into their meals, but Edie pipes up with questions occasionally about her classes or anything that is on her mind. While Anakin's mind was almost always focused on mechanics, Edie's mind wanders everywhere. Obi-Wan never knows what topic her next question is going to be on, and he delights in that.

"Can you tell me more about Master Bant?"

Obi-Wan smiles at the title. "Of course. Bant was very quiet as a child, and everyone always mistook that for innocence or naivety, but she is never to be underestimated."

Edie grins.

"She is someone who prefers to work through problems civilly before pulling her lightsaber, which I admire greatly. She's a great diplomat and I wish I could go on more missions with her. I haven't been able to spend any time with her properly in years."

"Who was her master?" Edie asks

Obi-Wan doesn't expect the thought of Tahl to hurt as badly as it does. He smiles though and tells her.

"About a year after I was chosen, Master Qui-Gon’sfriend Tahl chose Bant as her padawan.”

“Really?”

He nods. “Yes. She saw how brave and resourceful Bant was during an invasion of the Temple so she chose her as her padawan.”

“Your best friend was your master’s best friend’s padawan,” Edie says excitedly. “That’s amazing.”

He laughs. “Yes, it was.”

They are quiet again for several minutes, and Obi-Wan watches Edie look around the dining hall. Despite it being almost identical to the other dining halls in the Temple, she takes in every detail as if she is seeing it for the first time. She glances around at all the various Jedi knights and masters and their padawans sharing a meal together, and Obi-Wan is struck by the simple beauty of the moment.

"Do you have any meetings today, master?"

Obi-Wan's chest tightens when he hears her call him _master._ She doesn't do it very often so it's a pleasant surprise.

"I don't have any meetings today, thankfully."

She smiles, obviously pleased by this news, but she doesn't offer any explanation.

Obi-Wan asks, "How would you feel about meeting the Councilmembers sometime? Not on an official level, but as my coworkers and friends.”

She gives him an uneasy look. “I suppose.”

“They’re not all as intimidating as they seem. You were wary of me, and I turned out to be nice, didn’t I?”

“I mean, I guess,” she says, grinning at him cheekily.

He sits back. “I walked straight into that one.”

“Yeah, you did,” she teases.

He laughs and feels her delight warm the Force around them. Her smile is infectious.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edie meets Anakin and Ahsoka!

Edie does not see the astromech rolling towards her as her attention is focused on trying to quickly get back to her quarters before her master begins to worry. She was supposed to meet him there nearly ten minutes ago but she was held up by one of her teachers. They were going to meet Anakin Skywalker’s ship in the hangar and she was terribly nervous to meet her brother padawan. She only discovers the droid once she has tripped over one of its legs and is sprawled on the Temple floor. The droid beeps at her and she thinks it almost sounds concerned, but she was never good at learning binary.

“R2!”

Hurried footsteps come near her and then someone is kneeling down to help her sit up.

“Are you alright?”

One of their hands is gloved while the other is bare which strikes Edie as odd. Until her eyes follow along their arm and take in the color of the tunics and tabards. She only knows of one person wears black tabards and dark tunics. When Edie looks up into Anakin Skywalker’s face, her first thought is that he is very handsome before her entire body is flooded with nervous anxiety. She does not mean to rip her arm away from him, but in her haste to present herself as a dutiful padawan, she leaves him empty handed.

“Master Skywalker!”

She scrambles to her feet despite still feeling slightly unsteady from her fall and bows to him. She misses the way he scowls at the title.

“Just call me Anakin,” he says, still kneeling in front of her. “I know why you know my name, but I don’t seem to know yours.”

Edie avoids eye contact with nearly everyone except Obi-Wan, and it took her several weeks to build up the courage to do so. She makes sure to glance at his eyes or his nose to give the illusion she is being respectful.

“Edie,” she supplies softly.

Her heart races faster when he smiles at her.

“That’s a beautiful name.”

A moment later realization shows evidently on his face.

“You’re Edie!”

She stares at him in confusion. “Yes.”

“You’re Obi-Wan’s new padawan! He sent me a transmission about you!”

Edie knew that. Obi-Wan had told her after he had done it because he felt it better to tell Anakin ahead of his return to Coruscant than springing it on him as a surprise.

Upon hearing her master’s name, Edie remembers where she was supposed to be going.

“I’m supposed to be meeting him at our quarters,” she says lamely.

“I’ll go with you. We’ll comm him to let him know we’re coming.”

Anakin stands and Edie has to tilt her head back slightly to look up at him. He’s taller than her master, but only by a few inches. His presence is commanding though and she wishes Obi-Wan was there to help her through her anxiety.

“Come on, R2,” Anakin calls behind him, already walking.

Edie runs to catch up, the droid rolling after her.

She looks up at him as he comms their master and waits for him to respond.

“Anakin.”

“Hey, Obi-Wan! I met Edie!”

He grins down at her and she tries to smile back.

“She tripped over R2 in the hallway. We’re coming to your quarters now.”

Relief colors Obi-Wan’s voice even over the commlink. “Oh, good. I’ll meet you there.”

They end the transmission.

“He must have been looking for you,” Anakin says as he puts his commlink back in his belt.

The walk to the quarters is quiet, but occasionally the silence is broken by Anakin asking a question and Edie answering him. The droid follows along behind them like an akk puppy.

“Is this your droid?” She asks as they get into a lift.

“Yeah, this is R2-D2. He’s my astromech,” Anakin says, pressing the button for the right floor.

Edie looks down at R2-D2 and smiles. “Does he understand Basic?”

R2 chirps at her and Anakin laughs. “He does.”

“Hi, R2,” Edie says, and he swivels his dome in her direction.

He beeps at her in a happy sort of tune and she grins.

“Can you understand him?” She asks.

Anakin nods. “Almost perfectly. Although some of his more colorful language doesn’t translate well.”

Edie covers her mouth as she laughs.

When they get to the quarters she shares with Obi-Wan, she touches the scanner by the door and the door slides open quietly. She walks inside with Anakin and R2 following behind.

“Hey, why isn’t your name on the nameplate?” Anakin asks.

Edie shrugs out of her cloak. “The planet I come from doesn’t have family names. I have to choose one when I feel it’s right. They usually reference something of importance to our lives.”

“So you just have one name?”

She shakes her head, reaching up to hang her cloak beside Obi-Wan’s. “My first name is Elora. My middle name is Edie. I go by Edie because I like it better. Elora sounds too fancy.”

Anakin nods. “Fair enough.”

Obi-Wan comes out of the kitchen with a tray of tea. “I’m glad you finally decided to join me.”

Edie grins at the sight of her master. Simply his presence makes her feel lighter.

“How were your classes today?” Obi-Wan asks.

“They were good. We’re learning about aquatic planets in astronomy,” she replies.

Anakin seems quiet like he is feeling something in the Force, but Edie says nothing.

“Where is Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan asks Anakin.

Anakin sits down on the couch and stretches his legs out. “She was catching up with Master Plo.”

“You should comm her to come here and meet Edie,” Obi-Wan says, taking a sip of his tea.

Edie watches Anakin pull his comm out of his belt again and cannot help the way anxiety crawls up her throat. A warm hand slides against her arm and she looks over to see Obi-Wan leaning towards her with a comforting smile.

“It’s okay.”

He says it so softly that even she barely hears him.

“How’s the bond coming along?” Anakin asks.

Obi-Wan sits back and grins at him. “Nicely. It’s growing normally, if a bit quickly.”

“Can you use it yet?”

“No. Sometimes I can feel her, but it’s usually quick and faint,” Obi-Wan says.

Anakin nods along.

“It’ll happen soon,” he says with a smile.

Edie cannot help but smile back. Having Anakin’s approval means more than he will ever know. She takes her cup from the tray and tastes the tea. It is the perfect temperature and soothes her anxiety slightly.

“You said Edie tripped over R2?” Obi-Wan asks.

She nods embarrassedly and Anakin laughs.

“I think he may have done it on purpose.” He reaches over and knocks on R2-D2’s dome.

R2-D2 chirps and rocks side to side.

“Don’t do it again, buddy. She landed pretty hard.”

His response is an affirmative whistle. He shifts out his foreleg and rolls around the sofa to Edie, emitting a soft, apologetic whine. Edie smiles and reaches out to rest her hand on his dome.

“It’s okay. I forgive you,” she says.

He chirps happily.

The door chime sounds and Obi-Wan stands, setting his tea cup on the table. Edie stands too, out of anxiety and the desire to seem polite. The door slides open and Ahsoka grins up at Obi-Wan.

“Hello, Master Obi-Wan!”

“Hello, Ahsoka.” He steps to the side and looks back at Edie, who fidgets slightly. “I’d like for you to meet my padawan, Edie.”

Ahsoka walks into the quarters and stops in front of Edie with a big smile. “Hi!”

Edie cannot help but smile back. Ahsoka’s joy is infectious. She is taller than Edie, but most people are, and Edie finds herself kind of entranced by her.

“Hi,” she says softly.

“How old are you?” Ahsoka asks.

“Eleven,” Edie answers. “How old are you?”

“Fourteen,” Ahsoka says. “But I’ll turn fifteen soon.”

Obi-Wan takes his seat again. “Sit down, you two.”

Edie settles stiffly on the couch, watching Ahsoka intently as she sits between her and Anakin.

“Tell Edie how we met, Snips,” Anakin says, nudging her with his elbow.

As Ahsoka tells the tale of her assignment to Anakin and their rocky beginning, Edie watches her and the way she speaks and moves. When she turns her head to look at Anakin, Edie can see a string of beads hanging behind her montrals.

“How did you meet Master Obi-Wan?”

Edie glances to her master, who smiles sweetly at her, and tries to find the words.

“He came to visit my clan a few times, and he chose me at the initiate trial,” she says, hesitant to share the details of their first meeting.

Obi-Wan takes over for her. “You know I like to spend time in the creche and with the initiates. After the first time I saw her, I knew she was meant to be my padawan and I returned to her clan several times to visit her. The Force was quite insistent that I choose her.”

“That’s awesome!” Ahsoka says with a grin.

Anakin’s comm beeps and he pulls it from his belt. He reads the text and sighs heavily, levering himself off the couch.

“Come on, Snips. We have to give our report to the Council.”

Ahsoka stands, and Edie and Obi-Wan follow.

“It was nice to meet you,” Ahsoka says, smiling at Edie.

“You too,” Edie says.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be around for a while,” Anakin says. “And Obi-Wan can’t keep us out of his quarters because I know his codes.”

Obi-Wan purses his lips. “Even when I change them you manage to learn them.”

Edie hides her smile and Anakin grins.

“Yep.”

When Anakin, Ahsoka, and R2-D2 have gone, Edie lets out a breath. Obi-Wan reaches out to smooth her hair and pulls her close, but his touch his light in case she decides to pull away. She presses up close to his chest and he strokes his fingers through her hair.

“You did very well, little one, and I’m certain they already like you,” he says. “Let’s fix something for dinner, hm?”

She nods and steps away. Obi-Wan bends to retrieve the tray from the table and they walk to the kitchen together. Edie looks through the cold storage and pulls out the meat and vegetables they chose from the kitchen’s available food stock. As Obi-Wan heats a pan, Edie washes the vegetables and starts to chop them. The comfortable silence is enough to soothe Edie’s weary nerves. Obi-Wan only speaks to her occasionally to ask for something or ask her opinion. Occasionally, if he is moving past her, he will press a kiss to her head. They are becoming more open to easy affection and Edie loves the change. She does not have to worry about Obi-Wan’s feelings towards her if he is eager to show affection.

Before they sit down to eat, Edie wraps her arms around her master’s waist, holding him tightly and pressing her face to his chest. She feels him stiffen slightly before immediately relaxing into her hug, sliding his arms around her back and resting his cheek on the top of her head. The simple act is more than enough to fill Edie with warmth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illum

Edie looks at the cave with nothing but trepidation in her eyes. She turns back to Obi-Wan, her face almost pleading with him to take her back to the Temple. He wishes he could help her, but this is the first test a youngling must take on their own to become a Jedi. Most are thrilled for the experience, but Edie has been full of anxiety since he told her they were coming to Illum.

“I’ll be right here the whole time, waiting for you,” he says gently.

Her breath shivers as she sighs heavily and frost billows from her mouth. He fixes her coat, settling it more comfortably on her shoulders, and tucks her scarf closer to her neck.

“There is no danger inside,” he tells her. “Trust in the Force; listen to your instincts.”

He touches her back, not pushing but urging her forward. She takes a step before looking back up at him. Her cheeks are already pink from the cold, and she sniffles every now and then.

“You can do it,” he murmurs, smoothing her hair. “I know you can.”

She nods silently before walking carefully toward the cave. When she looks back at him again, he smiles encouragingly. He holds his breath until she has disappeared inside.

He was not this nervous when he brought Anakin to Ilum, but Edie is different. Whereas Anakin's fears and doubts are carefully hidden beneath the surface, Edie's are on display for everyone to see. That can elicit different responses based on the person. Obi-Wan is drawn to soothe and protect and encourage. Some masters jump at the chance to scold her and insist she meditate on her inability to reach the usual impassive state of a Jedi. Obi-Wan doubts she will ever be that way, and he is glad. If she was anything but herself, then the Order would lose so much.

Maybe he is becoming more like his master after all. He is more willing to embrace the eccentricities and differences of the Jedi instead of campaigning for universal compliance. He cannot even imagine what Qui-Gon would say if he saw him now.

Obi-Wan settles down at his little campsite and breathes deeply in preparation to meditate to pass the time. He finds it a bit difficult to center himself and his anxieties are consistently drawn to the thought of Edie inside the cave. He worries that he pushed her too quickly, but then he shakes his head and settles himself. She needs a lightsaber, and this is the first test a padawan must take in the journey to become a knight.

He slips into his meditation easily after that and finds himself comforted by the easy warmth he finds there. Sleep and meditation have become his only peaceful moments amidst the war, but now with Edie he finds himself enjoying more of such moments even if they are not exactly silent.

_Obi-Wan._

He startles slightly, but remains in his meditation. He opens himself more to the Force and the call of his name.

_I should have told you this long ago, padawan, but I am immeasurably proud of you. You have become an incredible Jedi and surpassed all of my dreams for your future. I am unable to show myself to you, Obi-Wan, but know that I have never left you and I am so very proud of how you have carried on in my absence._

_I regret not being able to meet your new padawan properly. She is an amazing child and I see nothing but success for your partnership. She loves you deeply already. You gave her a chance when no one else would, and you continue to give her the support she needs. I have no doubt that your relationship with her will remain strong long past her knighting._

_I love you, Obi-Wan. Give Anakin and Edie my love as well. May the Force be with you._

Obi-Wan surfaces from his meditation with tears sliding down his cheeks. He breathes deeply to regain some composure and reflects on what he just experienced.

><   ><   ><

Edie stands at the end of a narrow bridge of ice and fidgets nervously. Across the bridge, she can see the shine of a crystal. She can hear it too. It sings to her, sweet and enticing, and she knows this is her crystal. Reaching it will be the problem. She has yet to succeed even small Force-assisted jumps much less what this would require her. The ice does not look too thin, but walking across it could still cause it to break.

_I think you can do it._

She spins around, heart racing, to find nothing besides ice and snow.

_I apologize for scaring you._

She’s heard that voice before. In old holovids and recordings of reports shared with her by her master. She will never forget the look on her master’s face when he played the first one. Edie thinks it was the first time since his death Obi-Wan had heard his voice.

“Master Qui-Gon?” She says softly; the caves echo terribly.

A soft laugh. _Yes._

“How can you...?”

_You’ve not heard much about the caves of Ilum have you, little one?_

She shakes her head, but realizes belatedly that he probably cannot see her. “No.”

She was always left out of the gossip that circulated the Temple unless she managed to overhear it.

_The veil between you and the Force is thin on Ilum especially inside the caves. They can create visions and fallacies, but this is not one of them._

That does little to soothe her.

_I think you can get your crystal._

“That makes one of us.”

_It wouldn’t hurt to try._

“I could fall,” she says, more snappish that she intended.

_You’ve practiced catching yourself with the Force from a fall. And there are ways to get across the ice without breaking it._

He is doing little more than annoying her now, offering her weak platitudes and dissecting her arguments.

_I apologize. You do not need my help to give criticism._

She realizes that he is right. Most of the reason she does not get along with other Jedi is that they offer too much criticism and not enough encouragement, and any of their criticism is nothing she has not already told herself.

_The courage to retrieve your crystal can only come from within you. But know that I am here with you._

Edie takes a breath and closes her eyes. She reaches out with the Force to evaluate the strength of the bridge. It seems stable enough to allow her across, but she decides to play it safe and crawl across on her belly. Spreading her weight out across a wider area will lessen the possibility of the ice breaking underneath her.

“It’s not so bad. It’s like the obstacle course at the Temple when we crawl under the netting,” she tells herself.

She sighs heavily and sinks to her knees, laying down on her stomach. She manages to find a rhythm that allows for minimal jostling but still gets her across the bridge. The movement of her arms kicks up snow and she grits her teeth against the chill of it on her face. The closer she draws to her crystal, the clearer its singing becomes. It reminds her of an instrument that sounds eerily similar to a person’s singing voice that becomes hard to decipher which it actually is the longer you listen to it.

It feels like hours before Edie makes it across the bridge and can stand up. Out of habit, she brushes the snow off her coat despite it being caked to the seams and in her scarf.

Surveying the wall of ice in front of her, Edie realizes the crystal is too high for her to reach on her own. Even standing on the blocks of ice would not get her high enough. She settles down on the snow, breathing deeply, and centers herself in the Force. She can feel her master’s signature very faintly and for a moment she is distracted. Every day she is reminded how lucky she is to have him and how dearly she already loves him. He has been the very best thing to ever happen to her and Edie sometimes cannot believe he chose her.

The singing of her crystal draws her attention back to the task at hand. She breathes slowly and focuses on the crystal’s signature in the Force. It is bright and sparkling and Edie reaches out for it carefully. She rarely enjoyed practicing saber techniques, but Edie always loved practicing utilizing the Force. It requires a concentration and finesse most children her age struggle to grasp, but she found herself easily mastering the concepts given to them. She spent hours in her room carefully moving objects and replacing them in their rightful spots. She still could not slide a datapad out of a shelf, but she knew that task was difficult for even some senior padawans.

The crystal’s singing has softened to a gentle croon and it’s the most beautiful sound she has ever heard.

Edie opens her eyes to see her crystal suspended in front of her and she releases her hold on it to let it drop into her hands. Some crystals betray their color immediately but some do not until they are placed in a lightsaber. This crystal has no discernible color and she wonders what her blade will look like. Carefully placing her crystal in the pocket of her coat, Edie stands from the snow.

She starts back across the bridge of ice and tries to keep her rhythm steady. Nearly halfway across, Edie hears the telltale sound of ice cracking. She freezes for a moment, hoping the cracking ends, but she feels the bridge sink beneath her. She scrambles to her feet, the snow sliding across the ice and making her slip. As she runs across the bridge, it continues snapping and she struggles to keep her balances as it jerks beneath her.

The last pieces of ice fall away underneath her and Edie lunges for solid ground. She manages to grab hold of an uneven patch of ice that stops her from sliding down into the crevasse below. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Edie starts trying to pull herself up onto the ice. She has never had great upper body strength so she struggles slightly, but then something is helping her, giving her the strength to haul herself up onto the ledge to safety. She lays in the snow, panting, for a long moment.

“That was close.”

_You did well._

“Thank you.”

_You can rest out in the cave. You’ll be warmer._

Edie rolls to her knees and gets to her feet. Her legs still feel weak from the overload of adrenaline. She makes her way back through the caves, occasionally stopping to reach out with the Force to search for her master’s signature so she can ensure she is not lost.

_Edie, I wish I could have been alive to meet you properly. You have already brought incredible happiness to Obi-Wan’s life. Know that I will always be close by even if you cannot feel my presence. May the Force be with you, little one._


	6. Chapter 6

Three days after their arrival back to the Temple and Obi-Wan can tell Edie is growing frustrated. Each day she has worked tirelessly to construct her lightsaber. It comes together very slowly, piece by piece, but she is forced to disassemble it several times when they do not fit together. Obi-Wan realizes he took for granted his and Anakin’s skill with machines. He had his lightsaber completed in one day, and Anakin in less than a day. From their time together, Obi-Wan thinks Edie will be too proud to ask for assistance, but he also does not want to force it on her. He decides to allow her a few more days before he broaches the subject.

He only has to wait one day before Edie slinks up to him, parts cradled in her hands, and asks him very quietly for help. Her shame is evident on her face and in her voice. Once again, Obi-Wan is impressed at how she consistently overcomes her fear to approach him.

Obi-Wan sets his datapad aside and smiles at her. “Of course. I would be happy to help you.”

He stands from his chair and sinks to his knees at the low table in the middle of the room. When Edie places her parts on the table and sits across from him, Obi-Wan is struck by the similarities.

“Both Anakin and I built our lightsabers on this table,” he says softly, smoothing his hand over the tabletop. “In fact, I built both my lightsabers on here.”

Edie’s brow furrows just slightly. “Both your lightsabers?”

“Sometimes a Jedi outgrows their first lightsaber and have to build a new one to better suit their skill and stature,” he explains, and she nods along. “But my lightsaber was lost to a melting pit on Naboo.”

Her brown eyes widen and Obi-Wan smiles gently. “I was close to outgrowing it anyway. And some Jedi like to redesign their sabers. It’s a personal choice.”

He pulls his lightsaber from his belt and sets it on the table for her to see.

“What did your first one look like?” Edie asks.

“It was silver and black and looked very similar to Master Qui-Gon’s saber. I can show his to you sometime. It’s kept in the Archives because it was the first saber in a millennia to kill a Sith.”

Her eyes are sad when she looks up at him beneath her lashes. It is a look he is used to seeing now when he talks about his past and losing his master. It is not pity, but empathy of the deepest kind. A facet of his padawan that Obi-Wan adores but worries it could affect her over the course of her training and life as a Jedi. He will find the perfect way to help her move past it but not lose it completely.

“Let's see what you've got here.”

She pushes the parts toward him and looks at him pleadingly.

“I don't know what I'm doing wrong,” she says softly.

Obi-Wan catalogs each of the pieces she has and where they should go on a lightsaber. He realizes she is missing a part that is vital to holding her casing together but would seem innocuous and not obvious.

“Wait a moment,” he says, standing from the table.

He goes to the small cabinet against the far wall and opens one of the drawers. He has kept spare lightsaber parts since his padawan days because he and his master were always needing to patch up their sabers after rough missions. He finds the part she needs easily and comes back, kneeling down across from her again.

“You were missing this. It will hold everything together and keep it all stable.”

Edie studies the piece of metal he placed in front of her and he can see the realization of the missing part and how it should act.

“Thank you!”

Obi-Wan smiles. “You're welcome, my dear.”

As he is watching her slide pieces around on the table where she wants them, the parts of her lightsaber slowly lift from the table. They float in front of her and she uses both her hands and the Force to place them in their correct spots.

It is something Obi-Wan has never seen before. Usually a padawan will use a meditation to piece together their lightsaber but never with their eyes open and utilizing their hands to move things around. It was as if she was building it suspended in a ray and not in thin air. The ease with which she does it also shocks him. Some masters cannot do what she just did.

The completed lightsaber falls gently into her hands and she pulls a leather sleeve from beside her to roll onto the handle. She straightens it to her liking, gripping the saber and testing the feel of it. She realizes he is staring and her satisfied smile falls.

“What's wrong? Did I mess it up?”

Obi-Wan comes back to himself forcefully. “No! No, Edie, you did nothing wrong. It was all perfect.”

She looks unconvinced and Obi-Wan curses himself.

“Edie, I'm simply amazed at what you just did. You used the Force to suspend your saber parts in front of you and used both the Force and your hands to build your lightsaber. I've never seen anything like it before. I was enthralled by your skill.”

Her face is guarded and wary. “No one else can do that?”

Obi-Wan realizes the hole he dug.

“Not that I've seen. But that doesn't mean you're the only one. And if you are, then I will simply be even more proud of you. That's something that requires a lot of skill,” he says.

She ducks her head and looks down at her saber in her lap. Even with their bond not fully formed yet, Obi-Wan can feel her pride and her joy at having completed her lightsaber.

“Can I see your saber?” He asks softly.

“Yes!”

Edie hands it over, practically shoving it at him, and he smiles. He looks at the short silver barrel covered in a brown leather sleeve and the smooth edges and thinks it fits his padawan perfectly.

He hands it back to her and folds his hands on the table. “It’s perfect. Do you want to turn it on?”

Obi-Wan can feel her nervousness permeate the Force. She settles it in her hand and carefully thumbs the button, ensuring it is pointed away from either of them.

Her blade snaps to life and hums contentedly in her hand, casting its green glow on both of them.

Joy and awe swirl around him and Obi-Wan basks in it. He looks at her blade and smiles. It will be nice to see that color again after such a long time.

“Just like Master Qui-Gon,” he says softly.

Edie’s reactionーunadulterated love and happinessーfills him with warmth and he feels the beginning of their bond throb in the back of his mind. He keeps it to himself and keeps his focus on Edie and her newest accomplishment in her journey to becoming a knight.

><   ><   ><

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you chose another padawan!”

Obi-Wan just smiles. “Hello, Garen.”

“Hello, nerfherder. Why didn’t you comm me? I had to hear it from Bant! I thought we promised we’d always keep each other up to date on the happenings in our lives.”

“I was busy getting her settled and spending time with her.”

Garen gives him a withering look. “It’s been over three months.”

Obi-Wan shrugs. “I like her more.”

“I’m hurt,” Garen teases.

They grin at each other and Garen reaches out to pull Obi-Wan into a hug.

“Where is she? I want to meet the girl that stole you away from me,” Garen says eagerly.

“She’s actually at a knighting right now. The padawan being knighted was in the choir and they’re singing for her.”

Garen looks puzzled. “Bant didn’t say anything about her being in the choir.”

“I didn’t know either,” Obi-Wan says. “She only just told me this morning. Imagine my surprise when I find out I have a padawan in the choir.”

Garen smiles. “Is it a public knighting?”

“Yes, but I didn’t want to presume—”

“You were just going to miss out on seeing your padawan perform for the first time for _me_?” Garen scoffs. “Not a chance. We’re going.”

They walk to the knighting chamber in easy conversation. When they draw near to the room, Obi-Wan can feel his padawan’s signature pulsing and bright. Just the proximity to it makes his heart race and stomach flutter with excitement. They take their places with the other friends and guests, but Obi-Wan eases his way toward the front so he can see the proceedings clearly.

He finds his padawan standing near the front of the choir’s group because she is one of the shortest and he finds himself smiling simply by laying eyes on her. He reaches out through the Force and gets her attention with a gentle nudge, and Edie looks over to meet his eyes with a smile. Obi-Wan feels her excitement tempered slightly by anxiety that was not there moments ago. He worries that he is distracting her by being here. But why else would she tell him about the event that morning if she had not wanted him there?

He turns back to Garen, allowing Edie to see that he is not solely focused on her alone. He knows the attention can unnerve her.

“She’s the third one from the left in the very front,” he tells him, watching as Garen searches for her.

Garen’s face slowly breaks into a smile. “She’s precious. I think you chose very well.”

Obi-Wan smiles indulgently, looking over again to where she is talking quietly with another youngling beside her. She is smiling and relaxed and Obi-Wan basks in her contentedness.

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Garen says, still watching her. He finally turns back to Obi-Wan. “What’s her name?”

He nods. “Her name is Edie. She’s eleven and already a diplomat. I’m glad I chose her. I don’t know how I lived without her.”

Garen smiles. “That’s great. Bant said you were really excited about her, and I can see why.”

Obi-Wan nods. “I am. She is a joy to have around, and I’m excited to teach her.”

Garen grins at him and Obi-Wan feels his entire body go warm. They finally turn their focus to the knighting as it begins. He pays most attention to his padawan, how she sways slightly from side to side as she waits, and he watches her taking in the ceremony. His chest is filled with warmth at the thought of knighting Edie in this very chamber, raising her to an equal title because although he holds the rank of master he is no less a knight. Just the thought leaves him slightly breathless.

His attention is captivated by a swelling in the Force, a tension that begs of something to come. The padawan’s braid is cut and she rises to her feet with a grin. A moment later, she leads the choir in a lively, celebratory song.

Obi-Wan grips Garen’s arm. He never takes his eyes from his padawan, watching the joy on her face as she sings. It only takes a second of concentration to single her voice out from the rest and he melts. Comparing it to the voices of the angels on Iego would be a disservice to her. Edie sings with such confidence and surety—something he has not seen in anything else she has done. Not perfection, but determination is what makes him stand in awe.

The song ends with a melodic crescendo that hangs in the air even after they have finished singing.

The small crowd erupts into applause, one of the few moments the Jedi celebrate loudly, and Obi-Wan basks in the beautiful joy flooding the Force from his padawan. His entire body fills with the sense of contented accomplishment and he lets it seep into his bones.

“Stars, Obi, she’s incredible.” He hears Garen breathe.

“I know,” he answers distractedly.

He and Garen are trapped against the farthest wall and are forced to wait while the knight and their master leave with the choir trailing behind them. The rest of the guests file out of the room and the moment he can escape the group he follows her Force signature to find her.

Garen keeps up with him, close on his heels. When he spots Edie, speaking to the new knight, he slows. The new knight is a female human like her, but much taller with long blonde hair twisted into a braid. Obi-Wan cannot decide if the look on his padawan’s face is innocent hero-worship or love-struck admiration. He finds that he does not mind either way, but the presence of the emotion is very welcome.

He cannot hear the end of their conversation, and he would not want to intrude on a private moment. His padawan’s eyes light up at something the knight says. The knight starts to draw away, but does not break eye contact as they bids her goodbye. Edie replies to her with eagerness. The knight winks at her and grins before she finally turns as she walks out of the hall.

“Wait here for a moment,” he says to Garen, who nods.

“Of course.”

He moves out of the crowd and immediately feels himself break into a grin at the sight of Edie’s smile when she sees him.

“You were absolutely incredible,” he says, cupping her face in his hands.

“Thank you, Master.” Her voice flows over him like honey, soothing him and wrapping him in her love.

“You are very welcome, my dear.” He tucks her hair behind her ear. “I have someone who wants to meet you. You remember my friend, Garen, who I told you about?”

“Yes! Is he back from his mission?”

Obi-Wan laughs. “Yes, he is.”

He turns to wave Garen over to them, sliding his arm around his padawan’s shoulders. She leans into his side, her little body nestling against him, and he feels complete.

“Garen, this is my new padawan, Edie. We’ve been very eager for you to return from your mission so she could meet you,” he says with a smile, and Garen smiles back.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Muln,” she says politely, bowing to him.

Garen grins down at her before looking back to Obi-Wan. “I’m sure you didn’t tell her to do this. You’ve never done anything this nice for me.”

Obi-Wan quirks his mouth.

“It is a pleasure to meet you as well, padawan.” Garen bows to her, and Edie blushes. It is common practice for all Jedi, no matter their rank, to bow to one another, but it is still special when a knight or master bows to a padawan or initiate.

“I think you’re going to be great for your master. You’ll actually teach him some manners,” he teases.

Edie hides her laugh behind her hand but the sound carries. Obi-Wan smiles despite the jab at him. He should have expected that from one of his best childhood friends.

They walk back to their quarters and Edie answers Garen’s questions politely. Obi-Wan can tell his friend is smitten with his new padawan already. Garen and Anakin hit it off immediately over a shared love of piloting, but this is something else entirely. Edie has that effect on people, and it is working full force on him.

“May I see your lightsaber?” Garen asks once they are inside their quarters.

It is never polite to demand to see a Jedi’s lightsaber, and some will even flat out deny any requests, but most padawans are eager to show theirs off. Edie offers hers to him, and he takes it like she has offered him the most precious gift. He looks it over before handing it back.

“Will you ignite it for me?”

She looks to Obi-Wan first, unsure if igniting a lightsaber in their quarters is acceptable. He nods his assent.

“Go ahead.”

She nods and thumbs the button to ignite it. Her green blade snaps to life with a hiss and hums contentedly in her hand. She looks to Garen for his reaction and he gives her an answering smile.

“Just like Master Qui-Gon.”

Edie beams up at him, and Garen’s smile grows. Obi-Wan smiles to himself, warmed at the joy on her face at the mention of his master.

“Just the same,” he adds, and she looks at him with such delight he cannot help but grin.

Garen asks her a myriad of questions from her favorite classes to her choice of fighting style.

“Soresu,” she answers softly, glancing at her master.

He smiles sweetly at her. “A great choice.”

Garen smiles down at Edie. “It was great to meet you. I need to head out and finish up my report for the Council. And hope my quarters weren't reassigned while I was gone.”

Edie laughs and Garen turns his smile on Obi-Wan.

“We’ll get together again soon and have a meal or something.” He looks back at Edie. “And you can update me on your studies and training.”

She nods.

“I'll see you later,” he says, grasping Obi-Wan's hand.

“Goodbye, Garen.”

Once he is gone, Obi-Wan can feel the tension drain out of Edie. It has become a familiar sensation to him that only comes when she returns to their quarters. Healer Che explained that her anxiety often manifests in social situations and she can get easily overwhelmed. Not ideal for a Jedi knight, but she copes well. Obi-Wan is immeasurably proud of how well she handles herself despite her struggles.

“Why don’t you go change and I’ll make us some tea?” He suggests.

“That sounds good,” she says, and he can hear the relief in her voice.

She returns wearing her preferred tunic and pants, comfortable and loose, and her hair is gathered into a bun to keep it out of her face. Obi-Wan is starting to become more accustomed to her presence in his quarters, but sometimes he is still amazed that he has taken this step in his life and he has another incredible child to train. He cannot wait to see how their relationship will grow as they grow together. This is the only time since Anakin’s knighting that Obi-Wan has looked forward to growing older. That will mean he sees Edie do the same and learn along the way. It feels like the most precious of gifts the Force could have given him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Edie's Lightsaber](http://markwatnae.tumblr.com/post/161798643330/edies-lightsaber)


	7. Chapter 7

Obi-Wan watches Edie test the floor with her feet.

This particular sparring room has a padded floor to minimize injuries from falls. It is also one of Obi-Wan’s favorite of the available gyms and salles for training. The walls are cream panels with brown structure and the emblem of the Jedi Order is painted in black on the highest panels on each end. The atmosphere is calm and soothing despite the intensity of the fights that can occur.

He takes Edie’s lightsaber from her and sets it down alongside his against the wall. All younglings and initiates take saber classes, but each one learns a little differently. Edie learned slower than the other children her age so Obi-Wan wants to ensure she is comfortable with each lesson before moving on. Teaching without a set curriculum will allow them to move as slowly as  necessary to build her confidence. Some masters despise taking over their padawans’ saber training and allow them to continue in padawan lightsaber classes. Obi-Wan split Anakin’s training between classes and their own private sessions to coax Anakin into being with kids his age. It is obvious to him that Edie needs much more attention than the teachers can provide so he is eager to take over her training. It will allow them to grow closer and cultivate her self-confidence.

Both of them are barefoot and wearing loose, comfortable clothes. Edie’s hair is gathered up into a bun, her braid tucked into the elastic tie to keep it out of the way.

“Where do you feel comfortable starting off?” Obi-Wan asks her.

“The beginning,” she says.

He makes no comment, only smiles and nods. “Alright.”

“Why don’t we start with stretches first?”

Without words, Obi-Wan can tell she is uneasy.

“Sit with me,” he says, folding himself down onto the floor.

She settles down across from him.

“Is something wrong?” He asks gently.

She picks at the cuff of her pants. “I’m not flexible.”

Obi-Wan remembers something and smiles. He touches her pant leg and draws her attention.

“Can you touch your toes?”

Edie shakes her head silently.

“Master Windu cannot touch his toes either.”

Edie had looked away from his face, but her eyes snap back to his eyes at his statement.

“Really?”

He nods. “Really. He’s never been able to do it.”

She goes quiet for a moment, thinking over the information.

“You don’t have to be perfect to be a Jedi, Edie. If that were true, none of us would be here.”

She has doubt in her eyes when she looks up at him, but Obi-Wan lets it go.

“You don’t ever have to be able to touch your toes. I will not force you into uncomfortable positions you cannot hold. I want you to enjoy our time sparring together.”

She nods and he feels some of her tension release into the Force.

In the peace of the room, Obi-Wan guides her through simple stretches. He encourages her to hold them for as long as she can stand and says nothing when she releases them. He can’t possibly know what she is feeling so he does not voice his opinion.

“Four, three, twoーgood job.”

The Force warms at his praise. He files that feeling away, reminding himself to always praise her when possible.

“Push off the floor, stretch your back. Just like that.”

They shift again.

He feels her jealous gaze when he easily folds himself to rest his hands on the floor at his feet, but he reaches out and tugs on her pants playfully to distract her. He tucks himself further to his legs and rolls into a somersault, looking up at her from the floor. She’s smiling.

“I can’t do a somersault. It always hurts,” she says, folding herself down to sit beside him.

“I’ll teach you ways to do them so they won’t hurt. But truly you can get through life without needing to do one.”

“Don’t you have to do them when you’re fighting or in the field?” She asks.

“Sometimes, but usually I’m not putting that much thought into it. Any way you can get to safety is a good way.”

He sits up and crosses his legs to mimic Edie’s position, sitting across from her again.

“You mentioned that you liked the hand-to-hand combat the most in your sparring classes.”

She nods.

“Let’s start there.”

He pushes up onto his feet and she follows him. Her eyes are expectant and she looks up at him eagerly. He loves being the recipient of that gaze.

They start with simple moves that boost Edie’s confidence every time she performs one successfully. Obi-Wan keeps her energy high by praising her often and encouraging her to connect the actions to make one fluid motion. He shows her each maneuver and performs them by her side, their movements timing almost perfectly with one another.

He moves in front of her for Edie to practice the steps on him and they go slowly until she builds her confidence back up.

In her excitement at her success, Edie’s next jab comes too quickly and Obi-Wan has no time to dodge it. Her fist connects squarely with his nose and knocks him off balance. He stumbles back several steps, his feet connecting hard with the mat in his attempt to regain his footing. He catches himself, but his hands come up to cradle his face as he ducks his head against the pain. He squeezes his eyes shut. It had been some time since he was caught off guard during a normal spar.

“Master, I’m so sorry!”

He laughs into his hands, bringing them away and opening his eyes. Blood slides through his fingers and drips onto the floor at his feet.

“It’s all right, padawan. Can you get a towel from the wall, please?” He says calmly.

He cups his hand under his face and watches Edie scramble across the room for the towel rack. He accepts the towel gratefully when she returns and he holds it to his nose.

“Thank you, little one. I’m afraid we’ll have to cut this session shortー”

“No, it’s okay! You need to go to the Halls!”

She takes his elbow and he allows her to guide them out of the room. She collects their lightsabers and boots, but they make their way to the Halls of Healing barefoot.

When they arrive, Vokara Che is standing in the front vestibule and speaking with another healer. She halts her conversation when she sees them, and drags a hand down her face.

“Follow me,” she says, gesturing for them.

She takes them into an examination room and pushes Obi-Wan into a chair.

“What happened?” She asks as she washes her hands.

“We were sparring and I was unable to dodge one of her punches,” Obi-Wan says.

With careful hands, Vokara peels the towel away from his face.

“ _Force_ , she really got you.”

Obi-Wan lowers his voice. “She was doing very well and got excited.”

Vokara smiles. “No shame in that.”

Obi-Wan appreciates her use of the Force to dull the pain of her setting his nose back into its usual place. She cleans the blood off his face and hands and gives him a hypospray of pain medication to help take the edge off.

“Your face will bruise and you may feel lousy today and tomorrow, but if you focus on healing it slowly while you meditate, then it should heal up fairly fast,” Vokara explains.

He nods. “Thank you, Master Che.”

She washes her hands again and dries them, giving him a smile. As she walks toward the door, she reaches out to rest her hand on Edie’s shoulder.

“He’s going to be fine, little one. You got him here in plenty of time,” she says comfortingly, rubbing Edie’s shoulder gently.

After she has left, Edie scuttles forward to give Obi-Wan his boots. Before she can retreat, Obi-Wan catches her hands and pulls her closer. She doesn’t meet his eyes, instead staring at his knees, and he allows it.

“Edie, darling, you didn’t mean to hurt me and this was a very minor injury,” he says softly. “I forgive you even though there’s nothing to forgive.”

He rubs his thumbs along the back of her hands and squeezes her fingers.

“I do hope you look at me sometime this evening. I find myself missing your smile.”

He puts his boots on and stands from the chair, setting his hand on Edie’s back.

“Let’s go back to our quarters and rest. You did very well today,” he says.

On the way to their rooms, Edie slips her hand into his and Obi-Wan smiles, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

“I’m sorry, master.”

The apology is soft, nearly whispered, but Obi-Wan hears her.

He looks down at her as they walk and Edie peers up at him with wide, worried eyes.

“Thank you, little one. I accept your apology,” he says, more for Edie’s benefit than his needing an apology.

They continue on to their quarters in comfortable silence, hands still clasped.

><   ><   ><

A quiet, relaxed evening sees the completion of their bond.

Obi-Wan is sitting in his armchair and idly reading through a datapad. Edie is curled up on the sofa, as close to her master as she can get without sitting at his feet.

There is a tension in the Force that trills in their ears for a moment before soothing out into a comfortable silence. Obi-Wan looks up at his padawan who is gazing at him with wide, expectant eyes.

“Come here, little one.”

Obi-Wan stands and takes Edie’s hand, taking her over to their meditation pillows. He pulls her pillow closer to his so they sit with their knees touching.

“How are you feeling?” He asks softly, holding her hands between both of his.

“Good,” she says.

He smiles at her. “Do you want to try using the bond?”

“Yes.” Her impatience colors her voice.

“Allow me to access it first. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Edie nods quickly.

Obi-Wan sinks into meditation and reaches out to her in the Force. Her answering touch is gentle and sweet and makes his skin prickle with warmth.

Their bond is a bright spot in his mind, drawing him in and enticing him with the surety that this was forged by the Force.

Where before it had felt similar to a single thread, strung between them and holding strong but not strong enough to handle any strain, now it felt like a solid rope binding them together in the most intimate way. Obi-Wan never realized how badly he missed having a bond connecting him to someone. For a long time he had never been without some kind of bond. He went from sharing one with Qui-Gon to sharing one with Anakin. The years between Anakin's knighting and his choosing Edie feel empty now that Obi-Wan shares a bond with her. Not wanting to discredit his past connections, Obi-Wan avoids describing their bond as stronger or more solid than his others despite the obvious change. He never felt this deeply connected to Qui-Gon or Anakin during his years with them. His bond with Edie immediately feels ironclad like nothing could ever force them apart.

Touching their bond elicits a sensation of peace and love and support and respect that makes Obi-Wan’s chest ache. He grasps it tighter and it anchors itself in his mind where it is in easy reach. He lowers the natural shielding that was created and feels Edie’s presence, muted slightly by her own shields.

Sometimes Obi-Wan thinks Edie feels similar in the Force to his master, but then he thinks that it has been so long since he felt his master’s signature and he is projecting his grief onto her. Her presence is soft and welcoming and unobtrusive, but he feels drawn to her like he could never think to turn away.

He presses gently against her shields and she lowers them obligingly. Her joy at feeling his touch across their new bond floods him and Obi-Wan feels as if his heart might burst with the feeling.

Obi-Wan encourages Edie to reach out across the bond once he has retreated. Barely a second passes before she is extending a tentative hand over the connection and Obi-Wan welcomes her eagerly. Her delight swirls around them. Obi-Wan wishes he could sink into that sensation and never surface.

He nudges her back across the bond, but uses the space to test the strength of their bond. He sends an innocuous question between them.

_Can you hear me?_

Some training bonds are able to support thought communication very quickly, but some take months or years to strengthen to that ability.

_What? Oh! Master! Yes, I can hear you!_

Tender affection tightens in his chest and he sends gentle amusement across to her. She sends back unadulterated joy and love.

The sensation is not a surprise, but very welcome and very different from what Obi-Wan has been used to feeling since he was a child.

_Our bond is stronger than most. It seems we were truly meant to be master and padawan through the Force._

Something warm and sweet curls through his mind and settles in his chest.

_I knew it from the beginning._


	8. Chapter 8

Edie is glad her boots are so strong or else dropping the crate of groceries she had been carrying would have hurt a lot worse. Thankfully, nothing is damaged, but some of the fruits escaped. She moves to chase them down when a man kneels down to gather up the furthest ones.

He has blond hair that is turning white at the temples and freckles scattered across his face. His skin is marked with age spots like he has seen a lot of sun. When he stands, he is likely close to her master’s height, but maybe taller. His smile is warm and sweet. 

Edie, despite being shy and anxious, is always friendly and this stranger is obviously the same. She smiles up at him as he draws nearer with her runaway fruit. 

“I caught these rogue muja. I assume they're yours,” he teases, placing them in her crate. 

“Thank you, master,” she says. 

“You're very welcome, padawan.”

Edie’s smile turns shy. She had worn her hair up today and her braid rested on her shoulder prominently.

“Are you headed back to your quarters with this?” He asks, settling everything back into the crate as it had been.

“Yes, master.”

“Where are your quarters? I’m heading that way as well.”

Edie tells him the location and he stills, looking at her silently for a moment.

“Who is your master?”

“Master Obi-Wan Kenobi,” she answers nervously.

The Force almost sings around them at her answer. He smiles again, wider and more joyful than before.

“I am Feemor Gard. I was Qui-Gon Jinn’s first padawan,” he says.

Edie finds herself gaping at him before she remembers herself and bows to him. He laughs and takes her shoulders in his broad hands, squeezing lightly.

“You don’t have to be so formal with me, little one. I forgot my manners and never asked your name.”

“My name is Edie,” she offers.

His smile seems to soothe all of her worries and makes her stomach swoop.

“Let’s get this back to your quarters. Is your master there?” Master Feemor says, picking up her crate.

“He should be,” Edie says.

They walk in silence. Edie worries she is expected to speak to him and keep up a conversationーsomething she is terribly bad at doing.

“Are you upset about something?”

Edie’s stomach sinks. She’s projecting again instead of shielding. When she gets nervous, her shields weaken. Her master has been trying to teach her ways to ensure her shields remain strong despite her emotions, but the lessons have been tumultuous.

“Edie, can you look at me?”

She drags her eyes up to Master Feemor’s and forces herself to meet his gaze.

“When I became Master Qui-Gon’s padawan, I had just lost my first master and I was having a hard time with the change. I had trouble making it through each day and I was constantly anxious. You might feel alone in your struggle, but you aren’t.”

They continue their walk.

“I know your master will support you if you ask him.”

“He does,” Edie says. “He and Master Che help me a lot.”

Master Feemor smiles at her. “I’m glad to hear that.”

They walk several more meters before he speaks again. 

“How has Master Obi-Wan been? It’s been too long since I’ve seen him,” Master Feemor asks.

“Ahhーfrom what I can tell, he’s seems happy,” Edie says.

“That’s good. He needs to smile more.”

When they finally reach the quarters Edie shares with her master, the Force feels eager with anticipation. Edie opens the door and precedes Master Feemor into the room. 

“Master? I'm back with the groceries.”

“I was beginning to worry you'd gotten lost,” he teases, coming out of his bedroom. 

He comes to a stop when he sees Master Feemor and Edie worries this was a bad idea. 

“Feemor.”

Her master’s voice sounds weak and shaky. Edie’s worry increases exponentially. 

Master Feemor sets the crate down and walks toward her master. 

“It's been too long, little brother.”

Edie’s anxiety is allayed when Master Obi-Wan eagerly leans into Master Feemor’s embrace. Their arms wrap tight around one another and she watches her master tuck his face against Master Feemor’s shoulder. 

She carries the crate into the kitchen to put the food away. Her master deserves a moment alone with his brother padawan. It's likely they haven't seen each other in years. Edie knows she avoids people, but she's discovered that her master is much worse. 

Her master appears in the doorway and she places the bag of grain on the counter. 

“Edie, darling, come in here. I want you to meet Master Feemor properly.”

She follows her master into the sitting room and Master Feemor smiles at her. Her stomach swoops again. Edie watches Master Obi-Wan run a hand through his hair and take a breath. 

“Master Feemor was my master’s first padawan, before he trained Xanatos,” Obi-Wan explains and she nods.

“I remember.”

He turns to Master Feemor. “I chose Edie almost half a year ago after I met her while spending time with the initiates. The Force was very insistent that I choose her and I am still very, very glad I listened.”

He reaches out and smooths Edie’s hair and she feels her chest swell with warmth. Occasionally he will tell her outright how glad he is to have chosen her, but hearing him tell another master makes it feel more real. 

“Just speaking to her, I can see how well matched you are. I'm not surprised the Force pressed you.”

He looks down at Edie and then back to Obi-Wan. 

“I know Qui-Gon would have loved her.”

Edie thinks she sees her master’s face crumple in relief and joy, but it is gone so fast she can't be sure. Having Master Feemor’s approval obviously means a lot to him.

“We can't go so long between meetings again, little brother. I need to keep up on this one’s training and check in on my favorite Councilmember.”

Obi-Wan laughs and it sounds slightly watery. Edie doesn't stare up at him in worry or surprise. She can feel in the Force that this meeting was necessary and it is helping him heal. 

“We would love to have you for meals or tea or just to catch up. And I'm sure Edie could benefit from someone trained so heavily in the Living Force. Although she seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of everyone, including me.”

Master Feemor laughs and it's a lovely sound, rich and warm. “I can tell she is something special.”

Edie shifts closer to her master, bashful now that she's been put in the spotlight. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and rubs her arm soothingly. 

Master Feemor kneels down in front of her and Edie can’t help but smile at him. He smiles back, reaching out to touch her arm.

“I’m glad to have met you, Edie. I hope we get to spend more time with each other.”

She leans harder into Master Obi-Wan’s side. “Me too.”

Even though he never spoke of it, Edie gets the undeniable urge to dart forward and wrap him in a hug. He laughs and tucks her close to his chest, squeezing her tight. When he releases her, she immediately backs away, embarrassed that she did such a thing. But Master Feemor is grinning and standing, reaching for her master. They hold onto each other for a long moment, fingers curled into each other’s tunics, and Edie feels like something is right in the Force.


	9. Chapter 9

Obi-Wan knows this wasn’t the Council’s decision, but that doesn’t mean he has to be happy about it.

“We wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t dire,” Mace says, his tone kind.

He sets his jaw and nods. “I will leave tomorrow.”

The Council dismisses and Obi-Wan scrubs a hand over his face as he leaves the chamber. Edie will be back from her classes soon. Maybe he can alleviate some of the stress of the news with her favorite tea.

He had just gotten a package of the cookies he and Qui-Gon had always loved. Sharing them with Edie might soften the blow slightly.

He is kidding himself thinking she will take this well. They had barely enough time to strengthen their bond and grow closer, and now the Council is tossing him back to the front lines.

Anakin was given Ahsoka on the front lines, but Edie is not as old and has less training.

When he arrives back in their quarters, he sheds his robe and boots and sets the water to boil. He picks up his datapad and sends Feemor a message, asking if he would stay with Edie while he is gone. She seemed so at ease with him so quickly that Obi-Wan is not nervous to leave her with him.

Once the water is heated sufficiently, Obi-Wan adds the tea to steep and leans against the counter, face in his hands.

“How am I going to do this?” He says to himself.

Feeling much too young for the title of _master_ , Obi-Wan wishes he could have just faded into obscurity after his Knighting to raise his padawans in peace and not have the entire galaxy watching his every move. If he’s being honest, he wishes his master had never died and he had never been thrust into his Knighthood too early and in the midst of fresh grief.

The door to their quarters opens and Obi-Wan straightens up at the counter. He turns to peer out into the common room. Edie is sliding her boots off like she always does. She hates wearing shoes in their quarters so she always jumps at the chance to remove them and walk barefoot.

Seeing his padawan in good spirits allows Obi-Wan to relax. He smiles as he watches her place her boots on the mat beside the door.

“Hello, there,” he says gently.

Edie looks up at him and smiles. “Hi.”

“I made tea. Will you join me?”

“Yes,” she says brightly.

He watches her pad toward him, her movements so different from what he is used to seeing among his close friends. She is built differently than most Jedi, but she carries herself just as serenely. He knows her inner anxiety contradicts her outward appearance, but she has nearly mastered the outer serenity. Her stride is much smaller than Obi-Wan is used to, and he files that away for when they are walking together. She may struggle to keep up with him.

As Edie settles at the table, Obi-Wan retrieves the fresh package of tea cookies. Edie watches him curiously and he smiles at her.

“My master used to keep these cookies in the cupboard for when we had tea together. We didn't have them every time, but they became a staple,” he explains, sitting down beside her.

He opens the package and pulls a cookie out. He immediately puts it in his mouth and begins chewing as he gets another for Edie. She giggles at him, the picture he makes of a Jedi master with his mouth full of cookie. He offers her the next one and she takes it with a grin.

He watches as she tastes it and enjoys the way her eyes widen slightly.

“Do you like them?” He asks, sipping from his tea.

She nods, still chewing.

He smiles. “I thought you would. I loved them from the first taste too. Anakin likes them, but he prefers the spicy ones.”

Obi-Wan hates that he is about to ruin the moment he cultivated with her.

He takes a sip of his tea and releases a breath slowly. He can do this. It’s not the end of the world.

“Edie, I spoke to the Council today, and they need to send me out on a mission.”

She takes a sip of her own tea. “When?”

“I leave tomorrow.”

She is quite for a moment. “Okay.”

Obi-Wan refrains from letting his breath leave him in a great heave, but Edie notices his silence.

She smiles humorlessly at him. “Did you expect something worse?”

Obi-Wan rubs at his beard bashfully. “Actually, yes, I did.”

“I figured it was going to happen sometime soon. You’ve never been in the Temple for this long before. And you’re the best general they have.”

Obi-Wan’s heart aches hearing her say that. He wishes desperately that this war had never begun and he could raise his padawan on peaceful, diplomatic missions and vacations disguised as exploration missions. He wants to take her all the places Qui-Gon took him for their breaks from their usual routine. He chafes at the thought of her never getting to set foot out of the Temple at his side because of this war.

He would rather hear her say he is the best at snoring or he has the best bedhead or he is the best at getting food stuck in his teeth. He would take anything other than ‘best general’ _gladly_.

“Would you feel comfortable having Master Feemor stay here with you?”

It had been a little more than a month since she met him, but he had remained in the Temple on leave and had become a fixture in their quarters. If Obi-Wan was busy with the Council or strategizing battles, Feemor took Edie to the gardens or the Archives or simply kept her company. Obi-Wan was delighted to see Edie finally opening up to someone other than him. And Feemor welcomed her like she was his own padawan.

“Yes.”

He gives her a gentle smile. “You’ll have fun together, I know it.”

Edie runs her finger around the lip of her teacup. “Can I know where you’re going?”

“Ryloth.”

She nods. “Will you be able to comm regularly?”

“I should be able to, and I will do my best to keep in touch. I’ll try for every evening if I can.”

He knows that she wants to protest, but he knows that she is also pleased to be able to stay in touch with him so often.

“Is this supposed to be a dangerous mission?” She asks timidly.

“Ryloth is currently being occupied so there is a possibility that it could be dangerous, yes.”

She looks up at him intently. “Can I meet Commander Cody?”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widen slightly, but he smiles. “Of course.”

After they finish their tea, he takes her down to the hanger where his battalion is packing up to head out. He watches her out of the corner of his eye and tries not to smile. She is projecting an air of confidence that he knows is a facade, but she is surrounded by strange clones she has never met before and her master is about to be sent to the front lines of the war. He sympathizes greatly with her and doesn’t draw attention to her obvious discomfort.

“Commander Cody.”

The clone commander turns and snaps a salute, standing at attention. His helmet is tucked under his arm.

“At ease, Commander,” he says.

Edie is standing beside him, her confidence starting to wane, but he can see she is holding onto it with all her might as not to lose it in front of these strangers.

“Cody, this is my padawan, Edie. She requested to meet you before we ship out tomorrow,” he says.

“Commander.” Cody salutes her.

Edie is startled and looks between them. “What?”

“Padawans of generals hold the rank of commander,” Obi-Wan explains.

He almost laughs at the incredulous look on her face.

“I don’t want it,” she says.

A moment later, she sobers and Obi-Wan feels regret leaking across their bond. She worries she offended the troopers by insulting her rank in their presence.

“It’s alright. Many of the padawans your age feel the same way.”

She looks up at the new trooper that appeared at Cody’s side and then looks at Obi-Wan.

“This is Waxer,” he says. “Waxer, this is my padawan, Edie.”

Edie fidgets for a second before sticking her hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Obi-Wan shares a smile with his men as Waxer takes her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

The exchange prompts more of his troopers to come over and introduce themselves and welcome Edie into the battalion. After a while, Cody barks at them to get back to work, and Edie presses herself against Obi-Wan’s side, overwhelmed.

“They’re going to have to wear name tags,” she says into his robe.

Obi-Wan can’t help but laugh. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close.

“I’ll tell them that. They’ll love it,” he says.

He keeps his arm around her and leads her out of the hanger after they bid his soldiers goodbye.

As they walk, Edie drifts away from his side, but she reaches out and takes his hand instead. He recognizes that her grip is much tighter than usual and he rubs his thumb along her hand soothingly. She may not be showing her distress, but his departure is weighing heavily on her.

When they arrive back at their quarters, Feemor is standing outside the door.

“I was just about to comm you,” he says, smiling at them.

Obi-Wan lets them all into the rooms and once the door is closed, Feemor is reaching for Edie. To Obi-Wan’s surprise, she goes willingly into his arms.

“Everything’s going to be alright. Your master always manages to find his way home,” he soothes, rubbing her back.

She tucks her face into his chest and Obi-Wan’s heart breaks.

How can he leave her like this? Their bond is still so new and so delicate. What if this mission strains their bond, or breaks it? Ryloth is nearly in Wild Space.

He will comm Master Che and ask her to monitor their bond while he is gone. He doesn’t want Edie to suffer the pain of a broken bond if he can prevent it.

“Obi-Wan, you’re thinking too hard,” Feemor says, squeezing his shoulder. “It’s going to be alright.”

He smiles weakly. Feemor’s hand comes up to his neck and he pulls him into a hug. Obi-Wan never knew Feemor was so tactile, but then, he never spent much time with him. It’s a nice change to Obi-Wan’s usual solitude.

There is a horribly tentative touch on his hip, and it nearly breaks his heart. He pulls away from Feemor and immediately sinks to his knees, reaching for Edie. She responds eagerly, leaning into him and tucking her face against his shoulder. They hold onto each other for a long moment; Edie’s fingers curling into his tunic as if she never wants to release him.

><   ><   ><

The sun won’t come up for another two hours, but Obi-Wan wakes Edie at her request. She looks up at him blearily in the dark and he leans down to kiss her.

“Do you want to come to the hangar?” He asks softly.

She nods silently and starts to crawl out of bed.

Obi-Wan sends a comm to Feemor, apologizing for waking him though he already knew to expect it. He receives a reply quickly, insinuating Feemor was already awake and prepared. He doesn’t know why he lost contact with him. He’s always been a kind soul and willing to help. Obi-Wan doesn’t worry at all about leaving Edie with him, knowing Feemor will care for her like she is his own.

Obi-Wan helps Edie into her boots and settles her cloak on her shoulders. She sticks close to his side and he lets her, knowing this is her way of dealing with the stress. He curls his fingers around her hand when she reaches for his.

The walk is quiet and uneventful. Obi-Wan always loved the Temple at night, with the lights dimmed low and the sounds of the nocturnal species moving through the halls. He realizes that the halls don't sound very different during the day. Their numbers have fallen so dramatically that the halls are nearly silent at every hour. It makes his chest ache to realize that the feeling of joy and the noise of his childhood no longer exists.

The hangar is busy, but the noise is kept to a minimum. Most of the soldiers are wearing the gold of the 212th and Obi-Wan feels guilty that he is so eager to get back out in the galaxy.

_Don't feel guilty. This is what you love to do._

He looks down at Edie, who looks back at him with wide eyes. Her cheeks are flushed from sleep and she's still wearing her sleep clothes under her cloak. He wishes dearly that she was coming with him, would be on the ship with him and there to greet him when he returned. He briefly considers taking her along and leaving her on his flagship while he is planetside. But the thought of a sudden attack from Separatist ships quashes that idea quickly. He would never forgive himself if she was injured.

Maybe once she turns twelve and has more training he can justify taking her along on less volatile missions. Maybe even by then the war will have ended.

“Good morning, you two.”

Edie turns and smiles at Feemor, who smiles back sweetly.

“Good morning, master,” Edie murmurs, still so tired from waking up much earlier than normal.

Edie tucks herself into Obi-Wan’s side, under his arm, and he holds her there with an arm on her back. He feels her breathe, and tries to commit to memory the sensation of her against his body. They watch as Obi-Wan’s men gather the last of the supplies necessary for the trip onto the last of the transports. Their time is growing shorter and Obi-Wan needs to be on one of those transports soon to get up to his ship. He is dragging out his time on the ground as long as possible so he doesn’t have to face the fact that he will be without his padawan for several weeks.

“Do you know when you’ll be back?” Edie asks softly.

“Hopefully in two weeks,” he says, leaving out the part about how his missions always seem to run over their allotted time no matter what he does to keep them short.

When there is only one transport remaining, Obi-Wan smothers his urge to flee the hangar and kneels down in front of Edie.

“I’m going to miss you,” he says softly. “I’ll try to comm every evening.”

She nods, and he sees tears welling in her eyes.

“May the Force be with you.” Her voice wobbles, but the phrase leaves Obi-Wan aching.

He gathers her into his arms, kissing her cheek and temple and breathing deeply to remember the warm scent of her hair. He feels her small hand come up to stroke through the hair at his neck, careful not to mess it up but wanting to feel it all the same. He knows that he will be locking himself in his quarters for several minutes when he boards his ship just to get control over his emotions. He never realized leaving would be so hard.

“I love you.”

He feels her surprise physically and through their bond. They hadn’t said those words to each other since Edie asked his opinion of them shortly after he chose her. But now feels like the right time to encourage their use. He can’t lie to himself any longerーhe loves Edie as if she were his child and he needs her to know that.

“I love you too.”

He tightens his arms around her and feels her bury her face in his neck.

Finally, he knows he has stalled for far too long. He separates from her gently, but she goes willingly. She understands his duty is to the Order and the Republic, and she would never stand between that. He gets to his feet, but cups her face in his hands and stares at her for a moment. She stares back, and Obi-Wan smiles at her. She tries to return it, but her smile falters. He understands. He leans in and presses his lips to her forehead in a firm kiss.

He pulls away and looks her in the eye.

“May the Force be with you,” he says quietly, stroking her cheeks.

She nods, her brown eyes still filling with tears.

One last kiss to her forehead and Obi-Wan tears himself away. He squeezes her hand before he finally turns his back and walks to his transport. He contemplates facing away from them in the ship, but he quickly decides against it. He steps up into the ship and grabs hold of one of the overhead straps, looking back out into the hangar.

Feemor is coaxing Edie to his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and letting her press against him.

For a fleeting moment, Obi-Wan is jealous of how relaxed Edie seems to be with him.

_She feels like she has to impress me, ensure I never find fault in her and send her away. She can’t relax around me because she thinks I won’t approve of something she does. Feemor isn’t her master, he holds nothing over her, and she can be herself around him without fear._

He will have to focus on this when he returns. He hopes miserably that Edie doesn’t decide she’d rather have Feemor as her master while he is gone.

As the ship lifts off the ground, he raises his hand to wave to Edie. She waves back, and Feemor does too.

He watches them until they are finally out of sight, and his heart breaks knowing that he won’t see Edie again for weeks. Holo calls can only do so much to lessen the pain.

Obi-Wan wonders how their bond will hold up. It’s already shown signs of being stronger than most training bonds so it’s possible that it will withstand the distance easily. He hopes this is the case for Edie’s sake. He knows what a broken bond feels like, and it’s not something he would wish on his worst enemy.

When he arrives on the bridge of _The Negotiator_ , Cody is there and turns to face him.

“Sir, you’re not scheduled to be on shift for another hour,” he says.

Obi-Wan starts. That can’t be right. He always starts his shift immediately upon boarding his ship.

Cody is looking at him intently, as if he wants Obi-Wan to realize something.

“I thought you might like time to settle in,” Cody says. “Reacquaint yourself.”

Cody changed the schedule so Obi-Wan could have time to handle the stress of leaving Edie. If it was possible, Obi-Wan would submit to have Cody promoted.


	10. Chapter 10

Edie does her best in her classes, but sometimes her best isn’t enough. She tucks her datapad close to her to block her latest score on a mathematics exam. She knows her master gets reports on her work, but she hopes fruitlessly that he will overlook this one.

If the Force could swallow her up before he sees the score, she would greatly appreciate it.

“How’d you do?” A Twi’lek padawan beside her asks quietly.

“Okay,” Edie lies.

The Twi’lek nods. “Me too. This one was hard.”

Edie catches a glance at their datapad lying on their desk. They scored above average on the exam.

When the class is released, Edie sags back in her seat as younglings jostle to make it out the door first. Once the crowd has thinned somewhat, she rises and makes her way out of the classroom. She is barely two meters away from the room when someone pulls her datapad out of her hand. She reaches out to snatch it back, but the initiate responsible moves it out of her way.

The initiate holding her datapad is human, taller than average for his age, and very talented with a lightsaber. Brenaar Genjune has always been on Edie’s radar, but until she was chosen he was never a threat. This is the third time this month he has taken something from her just to get a rise out of her. This time feels different though.

Rather than give into the urge to yell in his face, Edie stands there passively.

“What’s this?” Brenaar says, his tone mocking.

He looks at the score on the datapad and snorts, handing the pad to Stanati Aebro, a female Zabrak who just turned twelve. She howls with laughter before showing the pad to Sneck Grotain, a green-skinned Rhodian boy.

Edie’s heart is pounding. She wants to take back her pad and leave, but they’ve boxed her in against a wall.

“How do you expect to even make it out of training with scores like these?” Brenaar says.

“Much less keep someone like Master Kenobi around.” Sneck smirks at the others.

“I don’t even know why he chose you,” Stanati says, her tone bored. “It’s not like you’ll pass your Trials; if you make it that far. Imagine his disappointment when he has to send you away after wasting all that time on you.”

“You should have listened to the Crèchemasters, Edie, and chosen to go to the Corps. They didn’t even let you go on a Gathering trip so they must have known something was wrong with you,” Sneck points out.

Edie grits her teeth.

“You’re so far behind in saber technique I doubt you’ll even be ready for missions by the time you’re thirteen,” Stanati says. “Master Kenobi will just have to keep leaving you behind while he actually does some good for the galaxy.”

“Padawans are supposed to help their masters,” Brenaar says. “Not get them killed.”

Brenaar adds, “You’ll never be able to go into battle with your master. You can’t even hold your own against a practice droid.”

They somehow know everything that keeps Edie awake at night, and know exactly how to exploit those weaknesses. She dreads the day she’s old enough to go on missions, and worries even now about being unable to protect her master.

Edie wants to scream at them that her master made it perfectly clear why he chose her, and it wasn’t for her fighting skills. She knows they don’t actually care.

“Don’t have anything to say?” Stanati sneers. “Of course not. If you’re barely able to stand up for yourself, how do you think you’ll do on a battlefield?”

She tosses the datapad on the ground as they walk away and Edie waits until they’re out of sight before stooping to pick it up.

“Hey.”

She looks up to find a boy her age with tan skin and dark hair standing in front of her.

“Hi,” she says carefully.

“I heard what they said to you,” he says.

Edie’s jaw clenches.

“You shouldn’t let them talk to you like that.”

She opens her mouth to give him an indignant reply.

“But that’s easier said than done.”

She closes her mouth with a click of her teeth. “Yeah.”

“Do they do that a lot?” He asks.

“Once a week at least,” she answers.

He scrunches his face up in disgust.

“Usually it’s not so bad,” she says quietly.

“I know that’s a lie.”

Edie shrugs. “My name is Edie,” she offers, changing the subject.

“Caleb Dume,” he says in reply.

“I’m Master Kenobi’s padawan,” Edie says.

“I know.” Caleb smiles. “I’m Master Billaba’s padawan.”

Edie grins. “Wow.”

Caleb’s smile grows. “She’s really great.”

“Is she in Temple now?” Edie asks, wondering if Caleb is in the same situation as her.

“Yeah, but she’s due to ship out in a week or so,” Caleb says glumly.

“Master Obi-Wan is out on Ryloth,” Edie says. “He’s been gone for almost a week, and he’s due to stay out there for another. But usually his missions run long. He always manages to find trouble somehow.”

Caleb laughs. “Master Billaba has said something like that.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. Apparently Master Kenobi is notorious for getting into trouble,” Caleb says.

He pauses for a moment before, “Do you want to come back to our quarters? Master Billaba is supposed to be there, and you can meet her.”

“Yes, I’d love to!”

“Come on,” Caleb says, motioning her to follow.

“Master! I’m back!” Caleb calls into the quarters as Edie follows him in.

Edie smiles to herself. She had a feeling that Caleb and his master had a relaxed relationships similar to hers and Master Obi-Wan’s.

“Okay, Caleb, no need to shout.”

Master Billaba stands from their comm terminal and turns to them with a smile.

“Who is this?” She asks.

“Padawan Edie,” she answers, bowing low. “Padawan of Master Kenobi.”

Master Billaba smiles at her sweetly and returns her bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Padawan Edie. I’d hoped to meet you sooner, but I could never pin down your master.”

Edie shuffles her feet slightly as if she must apologize for her master’s inability to sit still.

“Come in, I’ve just made tea,” Master Billaba says, beckoning them to the kitchen.

Caleb groans, and Edie covers her laugh.

“You don’t like tea?” She asks him.

“It’s okay, but Master keeps making me try different ones to see if I like _any_ of them,” he says. “Why; do you like it?”

Edie smiles. “Yes.”

“Oh, I’ll have to poach you from Master Obi-Wan,” Master Billaba teases.

Edie hesitates before sitting down, waiting for Caleb and Master Billaba to take their seats first.

“Come on, Edie, it’s not like we have a seating chart,” Caleb says, grinning as he flops into a chair.

Edie smiles shyly and sits down at the table.

Master Billaba brings a tray with a steaming tea pot and three cups over to the table. She serves them all a sweet green tea and Edie finds she enjoys it, despite it tasting slightly grassy. They pass the time with small talk, something Edie struggles with, but she manages to maintain most of her serenity. Master Billaba asks a lot about her and Master Obi-Wan, curious about their time together since Master Obi-Wan is fairly tight-lipped. Edie doesn’t offer too much, but she can’t help basking in the joy that Master Obi-Wan chose her to be his padawan.

Master Billaba’s commlink chimes.

“I have to go. The Council meeting is going to start soon,” she says, standing from the table.

She reaches for her teacup but Caleb sweeps it closer to himself.

“I’ll get it, Master. You don’t want to be late,” he says.

Edie smiles.

Master Billaba purses her lips, but her smile betrays her. “Alright, Caleb. I’ll see you in a few hours. It was very nice to meet you, Edie.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you too, Master.”

When Master Billaba has left, Caleb throws back the rest of his tea before standing. Edie stands as well, gathering her cup, and follows him to the sink.

“I’ll wash, you dry,” Caleb says, handing her a towel.

They wash and dry the teacups in silence, and Caleb puts them away.

“Do you need to fix up your lightsaber?” Caleb asks, pulling a box of tools out of a drawer.

“No, I barely use it,” Edie says. “I’m still working on the forms without any weapons.”

Caleb nods, setting the box on the table.

Edie expected him to make a comment about how far behind she is in training, but he just pulls out various tools, inspecting them. Edie sits down across from him and watches him work.

“Hey, what’s your last name?” Caleb asks curiously.

“I don’t have one,” Edie says.

“Why not?”

“It’s a tradition from my home planet. We’re not given last names so we have to choose one when we think it’s right.”

“Huh,” Caleb says. “That’s cool.”

“It’s kind of stressful. What if I don’t ever find one I think is right? What if I choose a really terrible one that I hate later on?”

“Couldn’t you just change it again?” Caleb sticks his tongue out as he tightens a screw on his lightsaber.

Edie sets down her lightsaber. “I guess I could, but I don’t want to change my name ten times just because I can’t settle on one I like.”

Caleb shrugs. “Just do whatever feels right.”

Edie laughs, the sounds bubbling up unexpectedly.

“I guess,” she says.

Caleb smiles. “Don’t think so hard.”

><   ><   ><

“Padawan Edie.”

Edie looks up from her datapad to find Master Yoda standing before her in the garden. She moves to rise, but he puts his hand out to stop her.

“To stand there is no need. Here I am as a friend,” he says gently, settling down in front of her.

“What can I do for you, Master Yoda?” She asks.

“For me? Nothing. What I can do for you, that is the real question.” He lays his gimer stick on the grass beside him.

Edie is puzzled. “I don’t need anything, master.”

Yoda _tsk_ ’s at her and it hurts more than she expected it to. She never wants to be wrong especially in front of such an esteemed master.

“Sensed that you are struggling with something I have, young one.”

Edie starts. How could Master Yoda sense something about her? Has she been broadcasting that loudly all of her emotions? She feels her stomach knot in anxiety, terrified the Jedi Master is here to send her away.

After a moment, a clawed hand touches hers and she looks up at the old master.

“Edie, alone in this Temple you are not. Even when your master is away, full of your family is this Temple. Need to hide your problems you do not, little one,” Yoda says, his voice softer.

“Know do you what Master Obi-Wan asked of the Council before he left?”

Edie shakes her head. “No, master.”

“Hmm. Asked the Council your master did to look after you. Trusted you with us has he. Knows that you have not met us Master Obi-Wan does, but also he knows protect you we shallーno matter what.”

Master Yoda takes her hand between his and touches his claws to her palm gently, drawing aimless patterns in her skin. It soothes her and she doesn’t hold herself so rigidly.

“Tell someone of your struggles when you are ready, Edie. Suffer alone in silence you must not.”

Edie nods. “Yes, master.”

“Care for you greatly does our Master Obi-Wan. Very important you are to him; to us.”

Edie’s breath shivers. She’s never heard that from another master before. Even Master Obi-Wan only says it sparingly.

“Allowed initiates and padawans to suffer alone before have we, but never again,” Master Yoda murmurs to her. “Part of my lineage are you, Edie. Important to me you are despite how little we’ve met. Care for you do I just as care I do for your master.”

She shuffles closer to him and he rests his hand on her cheek.

“Will you tell me about Master Qui-Gon?”

Yoda chuckles, patting her leg. “Of course, young one.”


	11. Chapter 11

Edie knows Feemor is waiting for her before she even turns the corner.

He isn’t upset with her, or even disappointed, he’s just worried and it rolls off of him in waves.

He opens the door to her and Master Obi-Wan’s quarters, allowing her to follow him inside instead of forcing her ahead of him. She follows him dutifully, knowing she isn’t in trouble. She removes her cloak and boots and settles on the sofa beside him.

“Master Endeel commed me to say you weren’t in class this morning, and then I got a similar message from Master Hasew. Why did you skip your classes today, Edie?”

She avoids looking at him, afraid she’ll lose the tenuous grip she has on her emotions.

“I didn’t want to be there today,” she says.

“Why is that?”

Master Feemor’s voice is kind, gentle. It doesn’t make her fearful, but she hates baring herself like this. She hates admitting her weaknesses when it comes to her feelings.

“Three younglings around my age are in those classes with me,” she starts. “They know my master is gone, and they already dislike me for being Master Obi-Wan’s padawan anyway. They’ve gotten…worse.”

She sneaks a glance at him, his brown eyes wide as he gazes back at her.

“How long have they been doing this?”

“Ever since I was chosen. It’s just,” she takes a breath and lets it out, “escalated since Master Obi-Wan left.”

Before Feemor can open his mouth to reply, she bursts out, “Please don’t tell Master Obi-Wan. He’ll worry and I don’t want him to worry. He’s on a mission and can’t afford to be distracted. I can handle it, I promise. He doesn’t need to know.”

Whatever Master Feemor was going to say dies on his tongue. He closes his mouth and sighs, obviously thinking hard. She pulls one of her legs up to tuck underneath her and turns to face him.

“Please don’t tell him,” she implores quietly.

He sighs again. “I’ll make you a deal.”

Edie nods quickly.

“I won’t say anything to your masterーyet. If you can handle this by the time he returns, it’s up to you whether or not you tell him anything. If this is still going on when he returns, we will tell him everything,” Feemor says.

She knows she isn’t going to get a better deal than that.

“Deal.”

Feemor nods, leaning back into the couch.

“Have they been hurting youーphysically?” He asks gently.

She shakes her head. “No. Just taunts.”

She almost spills it all right then and there, but something stops her. A little voice that sounds like one of her teachers:

_A Jedi needs only themselves and the Force._

Her master’s voice wars with that message:

_Do not hide away in fear of reaching out for help._

Master Obi-Wan always encourages her to reach out to him or anyone else she is comfortable with for help. He’s told her stories about himself and Master Qui-Gon never asking for help and suffering in silence. He learned the bad habit from his Master and he is still trying to overcome it.

_No one will fault you for asking for help, and if they do, that says more about them than it does about you._

Master Feemor is watching her patiently, his eyes soft and his face open. She feels safe with him. She knows he won’t fault her for asking for help, and she knows he will do anything he can to assist her.

“I don’t know what to do,” she says finally.

“What have they been saying to you?” Feemor asks gently.

Edie brings her other leg up onto the couch and settles down more comfortably.

“Master Obi-Wan will realize while he’s away that I’m not worth the trouble. He’ll realize I’m so terrible at fighting that I likely won’t ever be able to see combat so why should he waste his time on a padawan that can’t go into the field with him. They tell me my scores are so low I’ll probably be removed from Master Obi-Wan’s side because the Council doesn’t want a failure as a Council member’s padawan.”

“How do they even know your scores?”

“They steal away my datapad or look over my shoulder,” she says. “They’re right about that, my scores are really low.”

“Not in history or diplomacy or languages,” Feemor says.

“Those don’t matter when you’re being shot at,” she replies, sneaking a glance up at him from her lap. “They remind me that I’m now in a lineage of incredibly skilled swordsmen while I can barely hold my lightsaber correctly to perform one kata.”

“Have you thought that they might be jealous or threatened by you?”

“They’re not threatened by me; they’re threatened by my position as Master Obi-Wan’s padawan. They want my place so badly I’m sure one of them wants to hurt me for it. Instead of actually trying anything, they’re just beating me down until I give up and renounce myself as Master Obi-Wan’s padawan. I can’t say I’m not close to considering it.”

Edie ducks her head when she realizes all that she just said. She didn’t mean to tell Feemor exactly how the bullies make her feel, but it spilled out alongside everything else.

“Obi-Wan would never let you leave his side,” Feemor says softly.

The tenderness of his voice makes Edie want to cry. She had pushed all of the taunting and bullying aside for so long she had become numb to it. Revealing everything to someone has caused the hurt to bubble up again, and knowing she has a master willing to support her is nearly enough to reduce her to tears. She didn’t know how she was going to handle the bullies. She was terrified to go to Obi-Wan for fear of looking weak and needy when she is supposed to become independent.

“He loves you, Edie. I’ve never seen him so happy before. You’ve changed his life, and I doubt he would be willing to give that up simply because a few younglings believe you to be the wrong padawan for him. Apparently, they don’t understand that Obi-Wan chose you. He picked you from all of the available initiates and it’s obvious he’s never regretted that choice.”

Feemor touches her knee with his fingertips, telling her he is here for her but not forcing affection.

“He was loathe to leave you behind for this mission. He paced this living room for an hour trying to figure out a way to deny the Council’s request or take you with him, but he didn’t want to put you in danger.”

“How do I make it stop?” She asks quietly. “I don’t want to leave him. I want to prove to him and myself that I can make him proud.”

Feemor smiles. “You already make him proud, but I will help you put an end to this. You deserve to feel safe and welcome in your classrooms. It’s going to be hard, but we need to speak to your instructors.”

Edie nods.

“We’ll handle all of this together, okay? I will not let you down. I will be at your side the entire time. You are not alone in this.”

She nods again, slowly shifting closer to him on the sofa. Not close enough to press against his side, but close enough to touch.

>< >< ><

Edie arrives at the salle before Caleb and she sits on a bench to wait for him. They aren’t planning on sparring with lightsabers, just empty-handed katas and possibly some hand-to-hand, but nothing that could lead to injuries. Caleb teased Edie for not wanting to do anything more than careful practice, but Edie didn’t let him goad her. Caleb acquiesced, deferring to her logic that they wouldn't want their masters to find out they hurt themselves doing something they shouldn't have been doing alone.

Edie smiles to herself. Sometimes she can’t believe that she met Caleb by accident but he latched on to her almost immediately. She’s not the easiest person to be friends with, but Caleb is stubborn and she likes that about him. Hopefully she won’t push him away like she has so many other younglings in the past.

“Hey, let’s go,” Caleb says, jogging up to her.

Just as Edie stands to follow him into the salle, Brenaar, Stanati, and Sneck come around the corner. Edie’s heart thumps hard in her chest. It's been nearly a week since they last bothered her and she was naive to think they had lost interest in her. Caleb tries to glare at them and push Edie toward the door, but they block their way.

“What now?” He mutters.

“How'd you do on the astronavigation test, Edie?" Stanati asks.

Edie blows out a breath, trying to come up with something smart as a reply.

"The same as the last math exam then," Sneck says, laughing.

She clenches her jaw.

Stanati whispers something to Brenaar that Edie can't hear, and Brenaar smiles. His height gives him an obvious advantage and he towers over Edie as he steps closer. She doesn't look at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he is putting her on edge. She steps back after having gathered herself.

"What do you want?" She asks.

"Nothing much," Stanati says, her tone almost bored. "Just wanted to see if you were still around or if you'd finally been sent away."

A cold feeling settles in her stomach.

"Master Kenobi won't be able to help you keep up with your age group for long. You might as well bow out now while you can leave with some semblance of grace."

"I'm not going anywhere," Edie says softly.

Stanati puts a hand on Edie's chest, stabbing with her index finger. "You don't deserve Master Kenobi as your master. You're nothing and he won't waste his time on you for long. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if you just left instead of forcing him to renounce you?"

"Shut up!" Caleb shouts, his whole body tense and quivering.

He advances on them, putting himself between them and Edie, and Edie panics.

“Caleb, no!”

Surprisingly, he freezes in place. His fists tighten fractionally, but he doesn’t launch himself at Stanati.

“It’s not worth it,” Edie says softly.

Caleb looks at her and nods once, but his jaw remains clenched.

“Yeah, listen to your girlfriend,” Brenaar jeers.

They both glare at him and he grins at them.

“You know what,” Stanati says, her tone bored. “I think it’d just be better if Master Kenobi never came back.”

A chill runs down Edie’s spine. As if she hasn’t had nightmares about that very scenario…

“Why?” Caleb snaps.

“If he dies out on the field, Edie won’t have a master and she’ll be sent to the Corps, and Master Kenobi won’t have to see what a disappointment she becomes.”

Stanati states it as if it was obvious.

“If he’s dead, he won’t be stuck with you,” Sneck continues. “And that’s really better for everyone.”

Edie has never felt anger like this before. She breathes heavy, her heart racing, and she feels tensed as if to spring. She’s never wanted to hurt someone before. She always believes that people are inherently good and deserve a chance, but she wants so badly to hurt Stanati like she’s hurt her.

“Edie, let’s go,” Caleb says, holding her arm gently.

His touch doesn’t match the steel in his voice.

The fury bleeds from her like water from a popped balloon. She pushes past Stanati roughly, but trips over Sneck's outstretched foot. She hits the floor hard, and they laugh. Caleb scoops her up onto her feet and leads her out of the hall.

“Your quarters are closest,” Caleb says quietly.

Edie doesn’t respond, just keeps walking. When they reach her quarters, she is barely hanging onto a thread of calm. She is close to losing control of her emotions and she doesn’t want Caleb to witness it.

“I’m sorry,” she says, pushing away from him and bolting for her room.

She cries for what feels like hours but is likely only a handful of minutes. She wants her master back on planet so badly she could scream. He’s already been gone for his allotted two weeks and there seems to be no end in sight. Logically, Edie knows he will return as soon as he can, but her torment at the hands of other younglings has made her desperate to feel his calm presence. He always knows what to do and how to handle things and he exudes a sort of serenity no one else can match. Simply being in his company allows Edie’s anxiety to fade into the background and she has been able to think clearly for the first time in years.

When she has finally run out of tears to shed, she opens the door to the bedroom expecting to see the sitting room empty, but she finds Caleb sitting on the couch with a datapad and a teapot on the table. She freezes, unsure of what to do next. She’s never had someone but Master Obi-Wan hang around while she lost composure and it’s a shock to her.

“Hey,” Caleb puts the datapad down and stands up. “I made tea. I don’t know if it’s any good, but I know you like it and I thought it would help.”

Edie wavers, grasping desperately for some semblance of peace so she doesn’t cry again, and nearly fails. Her breath catches in a hiccup and she takes a step back into her room. Caleb’s eyes go wide.

“It’s okay, I promise. You don’t have to hide from me.” He puts his hands out as if coaxing a frightened animal, but Edie doesn’t think the analogy is wrong. “I know all the masters talk about releasing your emotions into the Force and whatever, but why isn’t crying the same thing?”

He shrugs and scuffs his toe against the floor. “I know I put on a show of being loud and tough, but I cry when I’m frustrated. Master Billaba doesn’t mind and she helps me a lot when I do. Even Master Windu is always willing to help me.

“Does Master Kenobi help you?”

Edie nods, tears welling up again at the mention of her master.

“Good, that’s good,” Caleb says softly, looking down at the floor.

Edie comes out of her room slowly, disliking giving up the safety her room gives her, but Caleb is baring himself to her and she can’t let him stand there alone anymore.

He reaches out to touch her arm and Edie moves away from his hand.

“I don’t…like to be touched when I’m upset,” she says quietly, shameful.

“That’s okay,” Caleb says, and he means it.

Edie sits on the couch, reaching for the teapot. Caleb sits beside her, but he leaves several inches of space between them. She appreciates his consideration for her need of space and it only serves to solidify her affection for him.

"Thank you," she says quietly, not looking at Caleb.

From the corner of her eye, she doesn't see him turn his head or even move to glance at her.

"You're welcome."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter left me stuck for an absurd amount of time and then all of the sudden i get idea after idea and i bang this out so i'm throwing this up here because IT'S FINALLY DONE
> 
> this is unedited so if you find any mistakes or funky stuff let me know
> 
> hope you like it xoxo

Caleb continues telling Edie about his day with Master Windu yesterday, but her mind has drifted.

Caleb and Ahsoka both have their grandmaster around to learn from and make memories with. Ahsoka has Master Plo who found her and brought her to the Temple. Despite having one of the best Jedi in the Order as her master, Edie hates that she feels alone. Her lineage is jagged and broken and she tiptoes around subjects as if on eggshells because she can't know what reaction they might elicit. Caleb has his master and his grandmaster right there with him, live and well and not shrouded in mystery.

The door to Caleb and his master's quarters opens and Edie stands to leave. Caleb makes a halfhearted fuss about having to go train with Master Depa and Mace, but he's been looking forward to it all day. She says goodbye to Caleb and then to Master Depa as she passes her on her way out the door.

Her feet make the walk from Caleb's quarters to her own without her having to think about it so she isn't paying much attention except to sidestep someone passing by. As she draws closer to her home, some of her anxiety seems to lift and she feels less on edge. Her shoulders fall slightly from their position they had found up around to her jaw and she begins to relax. None of this registers for her and she simply unlocks the door and steps inside when it opens.

She is already out of her boots and halfway out of her cloak when someone says her name. She spins around, heart in her throat.

Standing there in the living room, uninjured and healthy and whole and a week overdue, is her master.

His hair is a little longer, his eyes a little more tired, but he is undoubtedly Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Her heart hammers in her chest and she doesn't know what to say, but he's smiling and approaching her and reaching for her. She has the urge to recoil at first, uncertain and trying to make sense of everything, but then his hand is on her shoulder, warm and familiar, and he is silently asking for her permission before hugging her. It's a familiar series of events and her initial panic recedes.

Edie allows him to draw her in and she leans against his chest, having forgotten just how lovely his embraces felt. His presence alone allows her to rest and ease her worries, and his touch only amplifies those feelings of peace. Does he know the effect he has on her?

His beard catches in her hair when he bends to leave a kiss on her head and he presses his face into her hair. There's a feeling of being touched, asking for her attention, but it comes from their bond. She hadn't realized how thinly it had been stretched until it was relaxed once again.

He spreads his fingers across her back and she reaches up hesitantly before clinging to his tunics at his waist. He smells like recycled air and ozone and dust, very little of his usual scent remains, but she knows that will return once he's cleaned up.

She doesn't realize she's shaking until one of his hands has moved up to the back of her head, fingers sliding into her hair. She can feel his arms around her, hear his smooth voice only inches from her ear, but everything feels so displaced and far away. His touch grows firmer, his arm wrapping around her back, and he moves her hair away from her face, brushing her skin with his fingers. Alongside his physical touch, he reaches out in the Force to comfort her, cradling and supporting her as she crumbles.

She didn't want his return to be like this. She wanted to meet him at his ship and welcome him home properly and be there to help him settle back in.

Her master's presence in her mind seems to brush away her thought, insisting that this return is perfect and he is simply glad to have her nearby again. His joy at seeing and holding her again radiates through their bond and she laughs without meaning to.

There's another kiss on her head, then one on her forehead, and she just listens to her master breathing. His breath tickled her face, but the scent of his breath was different than usual. They rarely remained so close together for this long, but Edie had taken notice of these small bits of information in an attempt to never forget anything about the man who took a chance to care for her.

She hears him speak to her,  _Come here, darling,_ but she isn't sure if it was with her ears or in her mind.

He draws her over to the couch, guiding but not forcing her, and he's barely seated before she's curling up in his lap. Everything is done without speaking, simply sense from their bond. She didn’t need to ask to sit with him, and he didn’t need to worry she was uncomfortable.

His arms settle around her, but his grip is slightly tighter than usual as if he had desperately missed touching her. Edie rests her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and simply breathing with him, and he relaxes beneath her. She loses track of time as they sit there. His strong heartbeat and steady breathing nearly lulls her to sleep, but she stays awake simply to remember this moment. After several minutes pass with no movement from her master, Edie leans back very carefully to peer up at him. His head is tipped back onto the back of the couch, hair falling over his forehead, and he is soundly asleep. Edie settles back down to rest with him, relishing the fact that her master is safe and at her side once more.

>< >< ><

Edie can't keep the fear from showing on her face when she meets Master Feemor in the hall of her quarters. His expression softens and he reaches out a hand to her. She tucks herself under his arm like they had gotten comfortable doing after all their time together, and his hand is warm on her shoulder.

"I'm not going to say anything. I know you'll do what you need to do," he says, stroking the hair that brushes over his hand.

"Thank you," she says quietly.

Edie is hesitant to ruin her master's homecoming. He seems to be in such a good mood, smiling and laughing and socializing with his friends, and she's loath to be the bearer of bad news.

The decision is taken out of her hands one late morning.

Caleb is supposed to meet her outside her astronavigation class, but he is nowhere to be seen in the long hall. Her excitement for her passing grade on the most recent test is tempered slightly, but she knows that she'll be able to see him in a few hours to share the good news.

She turns a corner only to be met by Stanati, Breenar, and Sneck. Her heart climbs into her throat, choking off any quick remarks she might have formed.

"I heard Master Kenobi made it back," Sneck says, looking at Stanati.

"How unfortunate for you both," she says. "Now you'll have to face him when he sends you off to the AgriCorps."

Resentment rises in her chest, ugly and cold, and she has to fight to wrestle it under control.

"Really, what kind of master is he if he can't even choose a padawan that will actually be a benefit to the Order? We can't keep just anyone around so _everyone_ gets a chance," Breenar quips.

Edie chafes at the double jab, but she remains passive. She remembers how Feemor countered every one of their arguments when she recounted them to him and how silly he made them seem.

Stanati steps closer, pushing Edie back with a push to the shoulder. Edie stumbles once but stares up at the other girl defiantly, despite the severe lack of actual bravery to counter.

"I can't believe the Council even lets him keep his title, much less his _seat_. How many planets has he lost to the Seppies? How can anyone call that man a Master of anything but failure? No wonder he chose you! He just wants someone to take after him."

"Stop it!"

Edie's hands fly to Stanati's chest and she shoves with every bit of strength she can muster. The absolute indignant rage she feels at the blatant lies they were making up about her master pushes any thought of serenity or level-headed decision-making out of her mind. She acts solely on instinctive passion that she knows is below her, but at that moment she doesn't care what the High Council thinks of her.

Stanati trips back, caught off guard by Edie's outburst, but she doesn't fall. In seconds, her expression of anger melts into something more vulnerable and fearful. Confusion sweeps through Edie's mind, trying to come up with any reason Stanati might be actually afraid of her. She stands several inches shorter than Stanati and lacks hardly any muscle mass.

"What's going on here?"

Ice travels down Edie's spine faster than if a bucket of water had been upended over her head. Her whole body feels frozen, her mind a million parsecs away, and she finally moves as if on autopilot.

Standing behind her, just inside the corner that she had turned only a handful of minutes ago, are Master Windu and Master Kenobi.

"Masters, Edie pushed Stanati!"

"She didn't do anything! Edie just yelled at her and shoved her!"

"I wasn't doing anything but walking, and suddenly Edie is there--"

She finally understands what some people mean by _strength in numbers_.

Their shouting is nearly eclipsed by the pounding in Edie's ears. All she can do is stare at her master, knowing full well that he heard her shout and saw her push Stanati almost off her feet. She can see the disappointment in his eyes, the set of his mouth, and the tension in his shoulders.

He gestures at her. "Come with me."

She follows him with slow steps, but she barely makes it past the corner. Her vision blurs with overwhelming tears and she covers her mouth with her hand in a poor attempt at stifling her sobs. She half expects her master to continue without her, fully expecting her to follow him at all cost, but she realizes a second later that was an unbecoming thought. His hands are gentle where they touch her arms and guide her along at his side. She wants to curl away from him, overwhelmed and overtaxed, and his touch feels too kind for what she's done. He presses them both into a dim room off the hallway before closing the door behind them.

He lets her go when she pulls away, but she can sense his reluctance in their bond.

She curls in on herself, sinking to the floor, and she hides her face from him. He sits down nearby, but allows her space to work through her emotions on her own.

After several long minutes, she is left hiccuping but still shying away from her master.

His voice is soft when he speaks. "Can you show me what happened?"

She barely holds onto her composure, and she clumsily pushes her shields down for him to have access to her mind. His touch is gentle as always, but she still bristles at the fact that he's privy to all the memories of her meetings with her three tormentors. He only finds the most recent instance, but she knows her hand has been forced.

The tension his signature holds in the Force finally bleeds away and he moves closer to her, carefully laying his hand on her leg.

"It's going to be all right," he murmurs, wrapping her in a comforting embrace without ever touching her.

It's only after several more minutes of cajoling that Edie lifts her head and lets him fuss over her. He would have made an excellent crechemaster what with his patience and ability to remain calm no matter what was going on around him. Dealing with children must be a lot like handling a war zone, she thinks idly.

She feels him laugh, hears that rich sound she'd been deprived of for weeks, and things don't seem so terrible anymore.

"Is it alright if we talk with Master Windu?" He asks gently.

She nods. With Obi-Wan Kenobi at her side, Edie know she can do anything.

They raise the lights in the room and Master Windu enters. Edie notices his shoulders are relaxed and his face isn't holding its usual stern mask. They sit on the cushions in the room and Edie recounts the entire last nine months of her life, dodging Stanati, Sneck, and Breenar as best she could. She mentions Caleb's support and Master Windu's face softens further.

"We've had several complaints surrounding those three in the past, but there was never enough evidence or desire to even pursue punishment to do much. How do you want to handle this, Edie?" Master Windu looks at her expectantly.

She sits up straighter, surprised but also afraid that nothing would be done. "I just want them to leave me alone."

"What can we do to make sure that happens, Mace?" Obi-Wan asks.

"To begin with, we can remove them from Edie's classes to ensure she can go about her day without trouble. The High Council and EduCorps Council will have to meet and discuss what should be done with all this information we have now. I won't say it's for certain, but there is a possibility they'll be sent away to the Corps or their families if everyone feels they can't remain on the path to becoming Jedi."

"I don't want them to be sent away," Edie says quickly.

Why is she defending the three who made her first year as a padawan so miserable?

Both masters look at her with a mixture of pride and bittersweet sadness.

"We know, Edie, but it's out of your control. We know you don't want anything bad to happen to them, but they've made very poor choices with how they've acted in the past few years. It won't be you who sends them away. You won't even be part of the final decision. It's also possible they are not meant to be Jedi and their paths are meant to diverge here," Master Windu says.

She nods and looks down at her lap. She will have to learn how to handle the thought of her being the reason those younglings might not get a chance at being a Jedi.

When her master reaches over to touch her leg, she remembers Feemor.

"Master Feemor knows about what's been happening," she says suddenly. "But he didn't tell you because I made him promise not to and he made a deal with me that I would tell you soon or he'd do it for me. Don't be mad at him."

Master Windu and Obi-Wan laugh.

"I won't be mad at him, little one. I'm glad he gave you the chance to handle this on your own. And you did, even though you didn't get to make the decision on when to do it," Obi-Wan says.

After her master speaks with Master Windu for a few minutes, they finally part ways and begin the walk back to their quarters. Obi-Wan doesn't force her to speak at all, but he does keep conversation on lighter topics.

Latemeal has already been eaten by the time Edie remembers her astronavigation test score.

The grin on her master's face fills the chasm that had opened in her chest when she first laid eyes on her bullies earlier that day.

She really can do anything with this man at her side. The idea of becoming a Jedi Knight doesn't seem so daunting when her master is smiling at her.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Pajustji](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10370043) by [msu82](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msu82/pseuds/msu82)




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